There’s a buzz in the air for the 2026 college football season as ESPN gears up for a packed month of conference media days. This time, more than a dozen conferences will be in the spotlight—think Big 12, ACC, and SEC—with programming that promises to give fans a real feel for what’s ahead.
Starting July 7, the media days marathon kicks off, running through the month. Expect live reports, expert takes, and plenty of exclusive interviews with coaches and players, all spread across ESPN’s networks.
Big 12 Media Days: A Grand Opening
The 2026 Monster Energy Big 12 Football Media Days starts July 7 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Kevin Connors will host, joined by analysts Louis Riddick and Dusty Dvoracek, plus reporters Jen Lada and Sydney Jones for on-site coverage.
The event spans two days, opening with Commissioner Brett Yormark’s state of the conference address. Eight schools take the stage the first day, with the rest following on day two.
Extensive Coverage Across ESPN Networks
Here’s where to catch the action live:
- ESPN2: July 7 from 3 – 4 p.m.
- ESPNU: July 7 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and July 8 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- ESPN+: Main stage pressers on July 7 from 10:50 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and July 8 from 11:50 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Reporters Eli Lederman, Max Olson, Pete Thamel, and Dave Wilson will also be on the ground, bringing updates straight from Frisco.
ACC Football Kickoff: Wall-to-Wall Coverage
From July 15-17, the ACC Football Kickoff lands in Charlotte. The ACC Network’s lining up wall-to-wall coverage, with live programming from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.
Interviews with athletes and head coaches from all 17 ACC schools are on the docket. There’ll be plenty of analysis and previews for each team—some deeper than others, but that’s part of the fun.
Special Programming Highlights
Don’t miss the special 60-minute ACC Huddle on July 15 at 7 p.m. (ESPN2 and ACC Network), recapping the opening day. ESPN’s Andrea Adelson, David Hale, Adam Rittenberg, and Pete Thamel will be on-site, filing stories for ESPN.com.
SEC Kickoff: A Four-Day Spectacle
The 2026 SEC Kickoff Presented by Regions Bank takes over the Tampa Marriott Water Street from July 20-23. SEC Network’s rolling out over 50 hours of original and live studio shows—so, yeah, you probably won’t miss a thing unless you try.
Shows like SEC This Morning, SEC Now: SEC Football Kickoff Presented by Regions Bank, and The Paul Finebaum Show Presented by Regions Bank will be running daily. It’s a lot, but if you’re an SEC fan, it’s basically paradise.
Detailed Schedule and Coverage
Here’s the breakdown for SEC Network’s lineup:
- SEC This Morning: July 20-23 from 7 – 9 a.m.
- SEC Now: July 20-23 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- The Paul Finebaum Show: July 20-23 from 4 – 7 p.m.
- SEC Startup: July 20 from 7 – 8 p.m.
- SEC Storied: Becoming Hines Ward: July 21 from 7 – 8 p.m.
- SEC Now: Live from SEC Football Media Days: July 21 from 8 – 9 p.m. (simulcast with ESPN2)
On-site, you’ll find ESPN’s Andrea Adelson, Heather Dinich, David Hale, Mark Schlabach, Pete Thamel, and Dave Wilson. They’ll be sharing updates and, hopefully, a few behind-the-scenes gems.
Additional Conference Coverage on ESPN+
ESPN+ isn’t sitting this one out. They’ll be streaming live and on-demand coverage for a bunch of FBS and FCS conference media days and kickoff events.
This includes the American, Big Sky, Conference USA, MAC, MEAC, Ohio Valley Conference, Patriot League, Sun Belt, and United Athletic Conference. So if you’re rooting for a team outside the Power Five, you’re covered.
Key Dates and Programming
Here are some notable events and when to catch them:
- Sun Belt Conference Media Days: July 15-16 with morning, podium, and afternoon feeds on ESPN+
- OVC Football Media Day: July 17 from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- CUSA Football Kickoff Show: July 20 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on ESPN+
- MEAC Football Media Day: July 21 from 12 – 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- UAC Football Kickoff: July 21 from 12 – 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- MAC Football Kickoff: July 22 from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+
- American Football Kickoff: July 24 with main and podium feeds on ESPN+
- Big Sky Football Summer Kickoff: July 25 from 11 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. on ESPN+
- Patriot League Preseason Football Show: July 29 from 7 – 9 p.m. on ESPN+
Conclusion
The 2026 college football season is shaping up to be pretty exciting. ESPN’s coverage of conference media days means fans won’t miss a beat.
There’ll be live reports, expert takes, and some exclusive interviews along the way. Honestly, it’s hard not to get a little hyped for what’s coming.
If you’re after more details or want the full schedule, check out the ESPN Press Room.
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