Watch the Wisconsin vs UCLA clash on NBC, presented by Noah Eagle and Todd Blackledge

The 2026 NCAA Division I FBS, featuring the Wisconsin against UCLA, kicks off at 00:30 UK time on Thursday, 18 October 2026. Coverage will be carried by the NBC Network from the United States, alongside the Peacock USA feed, which is restricted to geo-located or registered viewers. For anyone tracking the clash from across the pond, NBC is the primary destination.

The booth will be led by Noah Eagle, who is back on play-by-play, with Todd Blackledge returning as analyst and Kathryn Tappen taking the role of sideline reporter. This is the trio's main Big Ten Saturday Night broadcast team, and all three are returning for another season together after years of working in lockstep.

The broadcast team

Noah Eagle has been a fixture on the college football sidelines, and the 2026 season marks another year of him anchoring the play-by-play for NBC Sports' Big Ten coverage. His partnership with Todd Blackledge has become a staple of the package, with Blackledge providing the analyst's perspective from the booth.

Todd Blackledge brings a considerable amount of history to the mic. Before joining NBC Sports, he spent four decades from 1994 to 2022 working as an analyst across the ABC, CBS and ESPN networks. That longevity makes him a familiar face for any reader who has followed college football reporting over the years, and his presence this season continues a career that has spanned multiple major broadcasting platforms.

Kathryn Tappen rounds out the team as the sideline reporter, returning to sideline duty for a fourth season. She joined NBC Sports in 2014 and previously spent eight seasons as a sideline reporter for Notre Dame Football on NBC. Her return to the college football sidelines follows a period spent hosting coverage in a previous season, and she is once again positioned to capture the on-the-ground moments that give each clash its character.

Where to tune in

The United States broadcast runs on the NBC Network, which has carried college football coverage for years and remains the flagship channel for the Big Ten Saturday Night package. For viewers who are geo-located or registered, the Peacock USA feed offers an alternative way to watch the Wisconsin vs UCLA clash as it happens.

With Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen all back in their roles, the 2026 season is shaping up to be another strong year for NBC Sports' college football coverage. Details on the broadcast team can be found at NBC's Big Ten Saturday Night broadcast team page.

Article generated: 16 October 2026, 00:37 GMT