Bill Hillgrove and Anish Shroff call the Pittsburgh vs Boston College kick-off on The Fan and ESPN

The 17 October 2026 NCAA Division I Football Broadcasting System kick-off between the Pittsburgh Panthers and Boston College is broadcast from two networks at 17:00 UK time. The Panthers run their usual 93.7 The Fan broadcast on the Pitt Radio Network, with Bill Hillgrove playing play-by-play and Pat Bostick working as analyst, while Larry Richert headlines the sideline. ESPN carries the opposing broadcast on ESPN Unlimited / ESPN2 USA, with Anish Shroff on play-by-play, Jay Walker as analyst and Morgan Uber reporting the sideline.

For American and British viewers alike, both networks go live at the same moment. Those who prefer the traditional college-radio feel can tune into 93.7 The Fan, while the ESPN broadcast offers a second, fully mirrored take on the same matchup. Either way, the winner is decided by who collects the most points as the two teams race toward their respective backyards.

The Pittsburgh side: 93.7 The Fan

The Panthers return to their home network for this matchup, broadcasting from 93.7 The Fan and the wider Pitt Radio Network. Bill Hillgrove calls himself the Voice of the Panthers and has long been the play-by-play anchor for the team, a role he has filled across numerous away games and premakes. He is joined by Pat Bostick, who has been described as a former Pittsburgh quarterback and continues to serve as the group's analyst, and by Larry Richert, who leads the sideline and starts network coverage ahead of the main event.

The trio's chemistry has been a fixture of the Panthers' broadcasts for years, and their lineup mirrors the one used across recent away games. Fans who have followed the network through past premakes at Syracuse, Morgantown and Georgia Tech will recognise the same roles in place for this matchup.

The opposing side: ESPN Unlimited and ESPN2 USA

ESPN carries the Boston College broadcast on ESPN Unlimited / ESPN2 USA, with Anish Shroff providing play-by-play commentary. Anish Shroff is a sports broadcaster known for play-by-play work across college sports, and he has long been associated with the Voice of the Carolina Panthers role on ESPN's network. He was one of the three finalists featured on the second season of ESPN's reality show Dream Job in 2004, and went on to serve as an anchor, talk show host and play-by-play announcer at WHEN Radio in Syracuse, New York.

Jay Walker works as the analyst for the ESPN broadcast. He joined ESPN in 2005 as a college football analyst and has since called games across a range of college competitions, bringing years of experience to the analyst role. Morgan Uber rounds out the broadcast as the sideline reporter, keeping viewers informed of developments on the ground.

Where to watch

The matchup kicks off at 17:00 UK time on Sunday, 17 October 2026. Both the 93.7 The Fan broadcast and the ESPN Unlimited / ESPN2 USA broadcast run simultaneously, so viewers on either side of the pond can follow the same game. Tune in ahead of the kick-off to catch the premakes, then watch as the two teams battle it out toward their backyards.

For background on the opposing network's talent, the press-room profile of Anish Shroff is worth a look at ESPN Press Room, which outlines his play-by-play career and his history across college sports broadcasts.

Article generated: 17 October 2026, 05:07 GMT