Who's commentating the Virginia Cavaliers at SMU: Thom Brennaman, with Jason Cabinda and Wes Bryant, on ESPN Unlimited and The CW

The 2026 NCAA Division I College Football competition between the Virginia Cavaliers and University of Missouri (SMU) is scheduled for Saturday, 17 October 2026. For viewers in the United Kingdom, the match will be available from 17:00 local time. The game will be broadcast through ESPN Unlimited and The CW, giving both American and British audiences the full play-by-play experience from start to finish.

The CW Network has confirmed its broadcast lineup for the season, and the Virginia Cavaliers against SMU game will be covered by the same team that has anchored the ACC (Atlanta Conference) games this year. This means familiar faces will be on hand to narrate every decision, a setup that has become a staple of the sport's television coverage.

The broadcast team

Leading the commentary is Thom Brennaman, who returns for his third consecutive year as the lead play-by-play commentator for the ACC games. His consistency has become a hallmark of the season's coverage, offering viewers a reliable voice through the game's many stages. Working alongside him in the booth is Jason Cabinda, acting as the booth analyst, while Wes Bryant takes on the role of sideline analyst to capture events as they unfold on the field.

This trio has been confirmed across The CW Network's official broadcast team announcements for the 2026 season, which began on Saturday, 29 August with the New Mexico State at Florida State game. Their roles are clearly defined: Thom Brennaman handles the play-by-play narration, Jason Cabinda provides booth analysis, and Wes Bryant reports from the sidelines.

Where to watch

The game will be available on both ESPN Unlimited and The CW. ESPN Unlimited provides the network's flagship college football coverage, while The CW offers its own broadcast teams for the ACC, Mountain West, and Pac-12 conferences. Viewers can tune in from 17:00 UK time on 17 October 2026 to watch the Virginia Cavaliers take on SMU.

The CW Network plans to broadcast 140 hours of regular season college football this fall, with the team's coverage spanning multiple conferences. For those interested in the full details of the broadcast teams and their roles, the official announcement is available at The CW Network's broadcast team announcement.

Whether you are following the sport from the United States or the United Kingdom, this game promises a well-covered competition with a broadcast team that has proven reliable across multiple seasons. Get ready to watch the Virginia Cavaliers and SMU take on their 2026 Division I challenge.

Article generated: 15 October 2026, 17:04 GMT