ESPN's Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer and Kris Budden commentate the Ole Miss vs Vanderbilt Division I FBS match

The 2026 NCAA Division I Field Boot System competition between Ole Miss and Vanderbilt, scheduled for Monday 10 October 2026, will be commentated by ESPN's Joe Tessitore, with Jesse Palmer as analyst and Kris Budden handling the side reporting duties. For British readers following along, the match is due to kick off at 20:30 UK time on the evening of 10 October 2026.

The three are all tuned in through ESPN's coverage, with Joe Tessitore and Jesse Palmer working the play-by-play and rules analysis respectively, while Kris Budden reports from the field. ESPN remains one of the most established networks covering these American college football competitions, and this trio will be front and centre of the broadcast.

The ESPN commentator teams

Joe Tessitore is entering his fourth season alongside analyst Jesse Palmer, and the pair are being joined for the first time this season by sideline reporter Kris Budden. Their partnership was confirmed ahead of the 2026 college football season, with ESPN announcing the commentator teams that would be covering the year's competitions.

Beyond college football, Joe Tessitore is a familiar figure across ESPN and ABC's coverage of the sport, and has also served as a commentator for WWE events. Jesse Palmer has long been the analyst half of the pair, reading rules and tracking play-by-play as the competition unfolds. Kris Budden rounds out the team as a new addition this year, adding a sideline reporter's perspective to the broadcast.

Watch the match

The full broadcast is being carried on ESPN's channels, with Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer and Kris Budden delivering the commentary throughout. ESPN's coverage is one of the primary ways American college football competitions are followed live, and it is where viewers will want to tune in for the Ole Miss vs Vanderbilt match.

For background on this season's commentator lineup, the teams were unveiled in ESPN's press release covering the 2026-27 college football commentator teams, which you can read further via the ESPN press room.

Article generated: 10 October 2026, 08:35 GMT