# ABC college bowl game broadcasts

ABC has been airing college football since acquiring the NCAA contract in 1966. Chris Schenkel and Bud Wilkinson were the number one broadcast team through 1973. Keith Jackson, its best-known college football play-by-play man, announced games from 1966 through 2005 on ABC (and for 14 years before that for various outlets), and was considered by many to be "the voice of college football." Jackson was ABC's lead play-by play man for 25 years, from 1974 through 1998. He originally was to retire after the 1999 Fiesta Bowl, but agreed to remain on a more restricted schedule (primarily broadcasting West Coast games) and remained with ABC through the 2006 Rose Bowl.

## Major bowl games

From 1999 to 2006 (1998-2005 seasons), all games of the Bowl Championship Series were televised by ABC Sports. Generally, coverage consisted of two games on New Year's Day, one on January 2, and one on either January 3 or 4. ABC paid nearly $25 million per year for the broadcast rights to the Fiesta, Sugar and Orange bowls during that time. Overall, the contract was worth $550 million over the eight years for all the bowl games.
Starting with the 2006 season, coverage would be split between ABC and Fox. Fox paid for each bowl game US$20 million. Four of the BCS bowl games were on FOX: the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and a new fifth game, the BCS National Championship Game. ABC will continue to broadcast the Rose Bowl Game. ABC had a $300 million eight-year contract that extends to 2014 for the broadcast rights for the Rose Bowl.
In 2007, ABC and Fox showed one game each on January 1, Fox then showed one game each on January 2 and 3 and came back with the championship game on January 8. A similar schedule is planned for future years.
Fox showed all BCS championship games the first three years of the contract, while in 2010 the Rose Bowl stadium was the location of the BCS Championship game, and ABC televised it.

### Fiesta Bowl

From 1999 to 2006, the game aired on ABC as part of the first BCS package.
| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
| January 2, 2006 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Gary Danielson | Jack Arute |
| January 1, 2005 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Gary Danielson | Lynn Swann |
| January 2, 2004 | ABC | Tim Brant | Ed Cunningham | Sam Ryan |
| January 3, 2003 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Dan Fouts | Todd Harris and Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 2002 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Gary Danielson | Jack Arute |
| January 1, 2001 | ABC | Sean McDonough | Ed Cunningham | Leslie Gudel |
| January 2, 2000 | ABC | Tim Brant | Dean Blevins | Leslie Gudel |
| January 4, 1999 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |

### Orange Bowl

ABC held the rights to the event from 1962 to 1964 and again from 1999 to 2006.
| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator | Sideline reporters |
| January 3, 2006 | ABC | Mike Tirico | Kirk Herbstreit | Erin Andrews |
| January 4, 2005 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann and Todd Harris |
| January 1, 2004 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 2, 2003 | ABC | Tim Brant | Ed Cunningham | Sam Ryan |
| January 2, 2002 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 3, 2001 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann and Jack Arute |
| January 1, 2000 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 2, 1999 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Gary Danielson | Dean Blevins |
| January 1, 1964 | ABC | Curt Gowdy | Paul Christman | |
| January 1, 1963 | ABC | Curt Gowdy | Paul Christman | Jim McKay |
| January 1, 1962 | ABC | Curt Gowdy | Paul Christman | Paul Christman |

### Peach Bowl

| Date | Network | Play-by-play announcers | Color commentators | Sideline reporters |
| December 29, 1990 | ABC | Steve Zabriskie | Lynn Swann | Susan Hunt |
| December 30, 1989 | ABC | Gary Bender | Dick Vermeil | |

### Rose Bowl

From 1989 to 2010, the game was broadcast on ABC, usually at 2 p.m. PST; the 2005 edition was the first one broadcast in HDTV. Beginning in 2007, FOX had the broadcast rights to the other Bowl Championship Series games, but the Rose Bowl, which negotiates its own television contract independent of the BCS, had agreed to keep the game on ABC.
Beginning with the 2010 season, ESPN (majority-owned by ABC's parent company, The Walt Disney Company) now broadcasts all the BCS/CFP games, including the Rose Bowl game.
| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
| January 1, 2010 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Kirk Herbstreit | Lisa Salters |
| January 1, 2009 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Kirk Herbstreit | Lisa Salters |
| January 1, 2008 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Kirk Herbstreit | Lisa Salters |
| January 1, 2007 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Bob Davie and Kirk Herbstreit | Lisa Salters |
| January 4, 2006 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Dan Fouts | Todd Harris and Holly Rowe |
| January 1, 2005 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Dan Fouts | Todd Harris |
| January 1, 2004 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Dan Fouts | Todd Harris |
| January 1, 2003 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Gary Danielson | Jack Arute |
| January 3, 2002 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Tim Brant | Todd Harris and Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 2001 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Tim Brant | Todd Harris |
| January 1, 2000 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Dan Fouts | Todd Harris |
| January 1, 1999 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 1998 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 1997 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Dick Vermeil | Jack Arute |
| January 1, 1996 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 2, 1995 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese |
| January 1, 1994 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese |
| January 1, 1993 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Dick Vermeil |
| January 1, 1992 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese |
| January 1, 1991 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese |
| January 1, 1990 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Mike Adamle and Jack Arute |
| January 2, 1989 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Mike Adamle |

### Sugar Bowl

From 1999 to 2006, the game aired on ABC as part of its BCS package, where it had also been televised from 1969 through 1998. The Sugar Bowl was the only Bowl Alliance game to stick with ABC following the 1995, 1996 and 1997 seasons; the Fiesta and Orange Bowls were televised by CBS.
| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
| January 2, 2006 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 3, 2005 | ABC | Mike Tirico | Tim Brant and Terry Bowden | Suzy Shuster |
| January 4, 2004 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Gary Danielson | Jack Arute and Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 2003 | ABC | Brad Nessler | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 2002 | ABC | Mike Tirico | David Norrie | Jerry Punch |
| January 2, 2001 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Gary Danielson | Jack Arute |
| January 4, 2000 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Gary Danielson | Jack Arute and Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 1999 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Dan Fouts | Jack Arute |
| January 1, 1998 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Dan Fouts |
| January 2, 1997 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Lynn Swann |
| December 31, 1995 | ABC | Mark Jones | Todd Blackledge | Dean Blevins |
| January 2, 1995 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Dick Vermeil |
| January 1, 1994 | ABC | Brent Musburger | Dick Vermeil |
| January 1, 1993 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese |
| January 1, 1992 | ABC | Al Michaels | Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf |
| January 1, 1991 | ABC | Al Michaels | Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf |
| January 1, 1990 | ABC | Al Michaels | Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf | Lynn Swann |
| January 2, 1989 | ABC | Al Michaels | Frank Gifford and Dan Dierdorf | Lynn Swann |
| January 1, 1988 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bob Griese | Mike Adamle |
| January 1, 1987 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Tim Brant |
| January 1, 1986 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Tim Brant | Frank Broyles |
| January 1, 1985 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Tim Brant | Frank Broyles |
| January 2, 1984 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Tim Brant | Frank Broyles |
| January 1, 1983 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Jim Lampley | Frank Broyles |
| January 1, 1982 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bill Flemming | Frank Broyles |
| January 1, 1981 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bill Flemming | Frank Broyles |
| January 1, 1980 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bill Flemming | Ara Parseghian |
| January 1, 1979 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Frank Broyles | Jim Lampley |
| January 1, 1978 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Ara Parseghian |
| January 1, 1977 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Ara Parseghian | |
| December 31, 1975 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bud Wilkinson |
| December 31, 1974 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Barry Switzer |
| December 31, 1973 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson and Howard Cosell |
| December 31, 1972 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson |
| January 1, 1972 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson | |
| January 1, 1971 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson | |
| January 1, 1970 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson | |

## Other bowl games
### Citrus Bowl

The bowl has been broadcast by Mizlou (1976–1983), NBC (1984–1985), and ABC since then, with the exception of ESPN for the 2011 and 2012 editions.

### Gator Bowl

| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
| December 30, 1985 | ABC | Al Michaels | Lee Grosscup | Al Trautwig |
| December 28, 1984 | ABC | Al Michaels | Lee Grosscup | Lynn Swann |
| December 30, 1983 | ABC | Al Michaels | Frank Broyles | Tim Brant |
| December 30, 1982 | ABC | Al Michaels | Lee Grosscup | Anne Simon |
| December 28, 1981 | ABC | Al Michaels | Ara Parseghian | Steve Davis |
| December 29, 1980 | ABC | Al Michaels | Ara Parseghian | Steve Davis |
| December 28, 1979 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Frank Broyles | Dave Diles |
| December 29, 1978 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Ara Parseghian | |
| December 30, 1977 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Frank Broyles | |
| December 27, 1976 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Ara Parseghian | |
| December 29, 1975 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Ara Parseghian | |
| December 30, 1974 | ABC | | | |
| December 29, 1973 | ABC | | | |
| December 30, 1972 | ABC | Bill Flemming | Lee Grosscup | |
| December 28, 1968 | ABC | | | |
| December 30, 1967 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Bud Wilkinson | |
| December 31, 1966 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson | Bill Flemming |
| December 31, 1965 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Johnny Lujack | |
| January 2, 1965 | ABC | Curt Gowdy | Paul Christman | |

### Las Vegas Bowl

The Las Vegas Bowl has been televised by ABC since 2013; ABC also televised the game in 2001. Other editions of the game were broadcast by ESPN or ESPN2.

### Liberty Bowl

Since 1990, the game has been broadcast predominantly by ESPN, with some editions on ABC.
| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color Commentator(s) | Sideline Reporter(s) |
| December 30, 2017 | ABC | Mike Patrick | Tommy Tuberville |
| December 31, 2011 | ABC | Dave LaMont | Ray Bentley | Quint Kessenich |
| December 30, 1995 | ABC | | | |
| December 27, 1980 | ABC | Jim Lampley | Steve Davis | |
| December 22, 1979 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Ara Parseghian | Verne Lundquist |
| December 23, 1978 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Ara Parseghian | Verne Lundquist |
| December 19, 1977 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Frank Broyles | |
| December 20, 1976 | ABC | Keith Jackson | Ara Parseghian | |
| December 20, 1971 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson | |
| December 12, 1970 | ABC | | | |
| December 13, 1969 | ABC | Chris Schenkel | Bud Wilkinson | |