- Over 12 hours of live studio programming on Championship Monday to preview and analyze the CFP National Championship
- College GameDay Built by The Home Depot headlines studio show lineup originating from NRG Stadium
- First Take and The Pat McAfee Show live shows part of CFP pregame lineup
ESPN’s expansive studio programming surrounding the College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T begins this weekend leading up to the Michigan vs. Washington showdown on Monday, Jan. 8. ESPN platforms will present more than 12 hours of on-site analysis and exclusive access live from NRG Stadium in Houston on Championship Monday as the Wolverines and Huskies prepare for the season finale. Studio coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET and will continue past the trophy raising with reactions on the title game.
College GameDay Live from the CFP National Championship
College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will be live from Houston with a two-hour special edition ahead of the National Championship. The premier pregame show will kick off Monday at 5 p.m., on ESPN and ESPNU.
Rece Davis leads the show, joined at the desk by GameDay analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Michigan Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee. Reporters Jen Lada and Jess Sims, along with college football insider Pete Thamel and college football betting analyst ‘Stanford Steve’ Coughlin. ESPN college football analyst Joey Galloway will also join the GameDay crew during the National Championship show.
The two Championship head coaches will join the pregame show with Holly Rowe talking with Michigan’s Jim Harbough and Molly McGrath joining with Washington’s Kalen DeBoer ahead of the title game.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, who faced the Washington Huskies twice this season and was defensive coordinator for the 2022 CFP National Champion Georgia Bulldogs, will be a special guest on College GameDay in Houston.
Live From Houston
Championship Monday kicks off with a duo of studio shows live from Houston. First Take with Stephen A. Smith, Molly Qerim and Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe will be live at 10 a.m. First Take will welcome a full lineup of special guests and get fans ready for Michigan-Washington.
ESPN’s regular afternoon lineup continues with The Pat McAfee Show live from NRG Stadium following First Take. McAfee is joined by A.J. Hawk, Connor Campbell, Ty Schmit, Tone Digs, Darius Butler and Evan Fox. The group regularly traveled with GameDay during the season, presenting Friday shows live on college campuses drawing large, passinate audiences. The show airs from noon – 2 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN on YouTube from noon to approximately 3 p.m.
Kelsey Riggs, Matt Barrie and Kevin Negandhi team up for two and a half hours of pregame on College Football Live (2 p.m., ESPN) and Championship Drive (3 p.m., ESPN) live from Houston with “Stanford Steve” Coughlin, Joey Galloway, Desmond Howard, Greg McElroy, Booger McFarland, Dan Mullen, Jess Sims and Pete Thamel. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning will also join Championship Drive for a special announcement.
In addition to hosting the 5 p.m. edition of College GameDay, Davis returns at halftime of the National Championship game alongside Galloway and Dan Lanning.
ESPN’s main telecast will headline the signature MegaCast production with 11 different presentations of the CFP National Championship Game across ESPN platforms. Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show returns following its presentation at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential that delivered the largest audience for any college football alternate telecast with 1.4 million viewers.
College GameDay Features, Essays and Vignettes
- First Family of Football – With Michigan in the National Championship game and the Baltimore Ravens leading the AFC, the Harbaugh family is on top of the football world. But there would be no Jim or John Harbaugh without Jack, the patriarch of the family and its coaching tree. Marty Smith reports.
- Family Matters – Spending his childhood summers on a dairy farm, Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze learned toughness and hard work from the person who is his biggest fan – his grandfather. That toughness was put to the test when after a biking accident his grandfather lost his sight. Despite the accident, one thing that never wavered was his support for his grandson Rome and the Washington Huskies, listening to and following along every game. Jen Lada reports.
- Sioux Falls Success Story – Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer was a record-setting wide receiver at the University of Sioux Falls in South Dakota. After filling in gopher holes as an assistant coach and handing out ham sandwiches to players before bus trips, he became the program’s head coach – leading Sioux Falls to three NAIA Division II National Championships and a 67-3 record. Since then, DeBoer has honed his craft and now has his Huskies ready for the sport’s biggest stage. Jen Lada reports.
- Small Town, Big Dreams – Michigan running back Blake Corum and his 25 rushing touchdowns have been a steadying force for the Wolverines during an uncertain season. As he prepares to lead his team on college football’s biggest stage, Corum continues to lean on the lessons learned and memories forged in his tiny hometown of Marshall, Va. Marty Smith reports.
- The Natty – One game for everything. Four quarters. 60 Minutes. All the practice, the pain, the brotherhood, the bonds. It all comes down to this. The Natty. (Wright Thompson)
- McCarthy’s Meditation – Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a distinct pregame ritual – meditation. From breathing exercises to listening to the “frequency of God,” McCarthy aims to clear his head and strengthen his mind, allowing him to keep calm in even the most chaotic situations on the field. (Alex Nolen)
- Rodeo Roots – Michigan tight end Colston Loveland grew up around rodeo, even competing as a child in ribbon roping. While his days of competing are behind him, many of the things he learned now translate to the football field. (Barry Abrams)
- Penix Deep Ball – It might be the prettiest throw in the game. When Michael Penix goes deep, it is truly a sight to be seen. An inside look at how the Washington quarterback has mastered the deep ball. (Aliyyah Jackson)
- Rome’s Road Trip – After Washington’s 31-24 win at Arizona, the Huskies flew back to Seattle but were missing one key piece, Rome Odunze. The star wide receiver was unable to fly and instead embarked on a 24-hour road trip back home that included family, laughs and a lot of pain. (Kelsey Puckett)
ESPN Digital and Social
Countdown to the College Football Playoff National Championship returns as one of multiple digital shows surrounding ESPN’s postseason coverage with Christine Williamson, Harry Douglas and Harry Lyles Jr., joined by Skubie Mageza, Sam Ravech and Matt Simms. The National Championship pregame coverage will feature guests, interviews and exclusive pregame access at 6:30 p.m. across Facebook, YouTube, and the ESPN App.
Inside the College Football Playoff Returns on ESPN+
To help get fans ready for the upcoming College Football Playoff, ESPN+ will exclusively stream four episodes of Inside the College Football Playoff, featuring an inside look at Michigan, Washington, Texas and Alabama as they battle to claim the ultimate prize – a national championship. All episodes, continuing through the National Championship, will be narrated by College GameDay’s Jess Sims. The schedule:
- Episode 1 – December 22: Look back at each team’s incredible journey to reach this year’s College Football Playoff.
- Episode 2 – December 29: Go behind-the-scenes as Alabama, Texas, Washington, and Michigan prepare for the 2024 CFP semifinals.
- Episode 3 – January 5: A recap of Michigan’s victory over Alabama in the Rose Bowl and Washington’s triumph over Texas in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
- Episode 4 – January 12: A look back at the National Championship as the Wolverines and Huskies face off for a chance at football immortality.
ESPN Studio Coverage at the College Football Playoff National Championship in Houston:
| Date | Time (ET) | On-Site Programming | Platform |
| Sun, Jan 7 | 1 p.m. | Path to the College Football Playoff Presented by AT&T 5G | ABC |
| 1:30 p.m. | Path to the College Football Playoff Presented by AT&T 5G | ABC | |
| 8 p.m. | Championship Drive: Countdown to Kickoff Presented by AT&T | ESPN | |
| Mon, Jan 8 | 10 a.m. | First Take | ESPN |
| Noon | The Pat McAfee Show | ESPN | |
| 2 p.m. | College Football Live Built by The Home Depot | ESPN | |
| 3 p.m. | Championship Drive Presented by Allstate | ESPN | |
| 5 p.m. | College GameDay Built by The Home Depot | ESPN, ESPNU | |
| 7 p.m. | Ram Trucks College Football Pregame | ESPN | |
| 7:30 p.m. | AT&T Pregame Showcase | ESPN,ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS |
|
| 7:30 p.m. | College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T | ESPN, ESPNU, ESPNEWS,ESPN3 | |
| 7:30 p.m. | Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show | ESPN2 | |
| 11:15 p.m. | Ram Trucks Postgame | ESPN,ESPN2, ESPNU,ESPNEWS |
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| 11:25 p.m. | College Football Final Presented by Modelo | ESPN2 | |
| Post-game | SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt | ESPN |
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