J.B. Long and Mike Golic Jr. commentate Cincinnati vs West Virginia from the USA

The 2026 NCAA Division I Field Bootcamp System (FBS) competition between Cincinnati and West Virginia takes place on 17 October 2026, with the match going live at 17:00 UK time. For readers tracking the action from home, the United States broadcast is split across three American channels: HBO Max, TNT and truTV. These are the traditional home-growth outlets for college football telecasts, and each carries a slightly different slice of the play-by-play as the two teams line up to compete.

The main commentary on the American side comes from J.B. Long, joined by the co-commentator Mike Golic Jr., with Jared Greenberg standing in as the reporter to capture play-by-play and sideline moments. This is a second-year college football broadcast team, and TNT has specifically tapped J.B. Long and Mike Golic Jr. for Big 12 action, marking a new era for the channel's sports roster. Their partnership was noted by Sports Media Watch back in September 2025, when the pair were highlighted as TNT's newest two-year college football unit heading into the fall campaign.

The American broadcast team

J.B. Long is a familiar face among college football fans, appearing across baseball, football, golf, soccer and beach volleyball telecasts. He is a fixture on TheRams.com's front-office roster, where he regularly joins other analysts to evaluate the year's competition and break down team performance. That experience positions him well to lead commentary on a match as consequential as Cincinnati against West Virginia.

Mike Golic Jr. rounds out the co-commentator role, and his background gives the pair a solid foundation. He played college football at Notre Dame and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2013, working his way into a role as a college football offensive specialist. He has been described in the past as a former ESPN broadcaster and football analyst, and his presence alongside J.B. Long on TNT reflects a well-established career in the telecast world.

Adding to the American side, Jared Greenberg serves as the reporter for the TNT broadcast. He is a sports broadcaster known across TNT Sports for NBA, college football and basketball coverage, as well as March Madness and play-by-play and sideline reporting. His role as reporter on this match means he will be the one capturing the running commentary that ties the visual telecast to the field action.

The Mountaineer Radio Network feed

On the West Virginia side, the Mountaineer Radio Network carries its own broadcast, with Andrew Caridi in the presenter role. The main commentary comes from Tony Caridi, supported by the co-commentator Dwight Wallace, while Jed Drenning handles reporting. This network is home-grown to West Virginia's Mountaineer brand, and the team of announcers gives the competition a distinct local voice.

Car Caridi and his son Andrew Caridi have long been recognised as a duo of West Virginia sports broadcasters. Car Caridi has become one of the most recognizable names in West Virginia broadcasting, his voice providing the soundtrack to some of the greatest moments in the region's college football history. Andrew Caridi, though a younger announcer, has spoken about his long-term goals for the network, noting that being able to make a decent living is the ultimate aim for any broadcaster stepping into this kind of role.

The pairing of Car Caridi and Andrew Caridi has been described as accidental, in the sense that their father-son relationship naturally produced a network of announcers who work together seamlessly. With Dwight Wallace adding co-commentary and Jed Drenning reporting, the Mountaineer Radio Network brings a complete, well-rounded broadcast to the West Virginia side of the competition.

Where to watch

Readers in the United States can follow the Cincinnati versus West Virginia match across HBO Max, TNT and truTV, with J.B. Long and Mike Golic Jr. leading commentary and Jared Greenberg reporting. Meanwhile, the Mountaineer Radio Network carries the West Virginia feed through Car Caridi, Andrew Caridi, Dwight Wallace and Jed Drenning. Both feeds come together at 17:00 UK time on 17 October 2026, so mark your clocks and tune in for what should be an exciting Division I FBS showdown.

For background on the American commentary team, the front-office roster featuring J.B. Long is available at TheRams.com, while Mike Golic Jr. has a Wikipedia page documenting his college football career.

Article generated: 15 October 2026, 17:08 GMT