NBC Sports’ Primetime Big Ten Football Begins Saturday, Sept. 2 on NBC & Peacock

Matt Marvin Named Coordinating Producer of Big Ten Saturday Night, Alongside Director Charlie Dammeyer

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 2, 2023 – NBC Sports today announced its Big Ten Saturday Night college football announce team, featuring Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Noah Eagle (play-by-play) in the booth and Kathryn Tappen as sideline reporter.

Every weekend from Sept. 2 through Nov. 25, the trio will call a Big Ten Football game, which will be broadcast on NBC and simulstreamed on Peacock. Big Ten Saturday Night highlights an NBC Sports-record 33 college football games in Fall 2023.

Blackledge, who quarterbacked Penn State to the national championship in 1982, begins his 30^th season as a network college football analyst after spending the 1994-2022 seasons in the booth for ABC, CBS and, most recently, ESPN. In addition to working one of college football’s biggest games each week, he has called a College Football Playoff semifinal in each of the past nine seasons – including TCU’s thrilling 51-45 victory over Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl in December – and served as ESPN Radio’s analyst for 11 of the last 12 college football championship games.

Eagle joins NBC Sports’ Big Ten Saturday Night booth after calling college football for FOX last season and CBS in 2021. Last December on NFL Network, he handled play-by-play for the largest comeback in NFL history (33 points) as the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Indianapolis Colts 39-36 in overtime. Eagle has also called an NFL game on Nickelodeon in each of the past three seasons, and is currently in his fourth season as the radio play-by-play voice of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Tappen, who joined NBC Sports in 2014, returns to the college football sidelines after eight seasons as sideline reporter for Notre Dame Football on NBC (2014-21) and hosting studio coverage last fall in South Bend. She has served as a host or reporter on many of the biggest events in sports, including the Olympics, Super Bowl, and Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final.

“We are excited to showcase Big Ten Saturday Night on the NBC Sports’ primetime marquee,” said NBC Sports Executive Producer Sam Flood. “When you hear Todd’s voice, you know it’s a big college football game. It has been that way for decades. Noah is one of the industry’s rising young play-by-play commentators, who has excelled calling numerous sports across multiple platforms for a wide range of audiences. We are thrilled to pair him in the booth with Todd. Kathryn has told the stories of so many memorable Notre Dame Football moments over the last decade in her on-field reporting and interviews. With their collective college football experience and great enthusiasm for the game, Todd, Noah and Kathryn join a production team that can’t wait to kick off the Big Ten season.”

Following is a look at NBC Sports’ Big Ten Saturday Night announce team:

Todd Blackledge (Analyst)

• Begins 30^th consecutive season as network college football game analyst this fall
• Served as analyst for ESPN primetime college football for last 17 seasons (2006-22), following seven seasons at CBS (1999-2005), and five at ABC (1994-98). Called a College Football Playoff semifinal game on ESPN in each of past nine seasons (2014-22)
• Began broadcast career as a sports-talk radio host in Ohio, while also providing analysis for Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles preseason broadcasts
• Selected seventh overall in the famed 1983 NFL Draft, and played seven NFL seasons (Kansas City 1983-87; Pittsburgh 1988-89)
• Led Penn State to 1982 national championship in Sugar Bowl (named Most Outstanding Player), earning the Davey O’Brien Award (top QB) and finishing sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. Was 31-5 as three-year starter for the Nittany Lions (1980-82)

Noah Eagle (Play-by-Play)

• Begins third season handling college football play-by-play, following assignments for FOX (2022) and CBS (2021)
• Currently in fourth season as radio play-by-play voice of Los Angeles Clippers
• Has called an NFL game on Nickelodeon for past three seasons, college basketball on FS1, NBA events for Turner/NBATV, and major events for Tennis Channel
• Called historic comeback in Colts-Vikings game for NFL Network in Dec. 2022
• Handled play-by-play for NBC Sports’ coverage of 3-on-3 basketball in Tokyo Olympics

Kathryn Tappen (Sideline Reporter)

• Begins 10^th consecutive season working on NBC Sports’ college football coverage
• Served as sideline reporter for Notre Dame Football from 2014-21, and hosted studio coverage from South Bend in 2022
• In 2022, hosted NBC Sports’ Peacock Sunday Night Football Final following Sunday Night Football games, and was lead interviewer for NBC Sports’ golf coverage across the PGA TOUR and major championships
• Served in hosting and reporting roles for past five Olympic Games and last three NBC Super Bowls (Feb. 2022, Feb. 2018, Feb. 2015)
• Served as host of NBC Sports’ NHL coverage, including Stanley Cup Playoffs, from 2014-21

NBC Sports today also announced that its Big Ten Saturday Night game coverage will be led by coordinating producer Matt Marvin and director Charlie Dammeyer.

A six-time Sports Emmy winner, Marvin joined NBC Sports in 2000 and has served as the lead producer of NASCAR on NBC, Notre Dame Football on NBC, and the NHL on NBC, and was the replay producer for Thursday Night Football last fall. In addition, he was part of production teams for 10 Olympic Games and five Super Bowls.

Dammeyer, who has won 12 Sports Emmy Awards since joining NBC Sports in 2005, most recently served as director of NASCAR on NBC, Notre Dame Football on NBC, and the NHL on NBC, and previously as an associate director on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. He has also been a part of production teams for 10 Olympic Games and three Super Bowls.

– BIG TEN SATURDAY NIGHT –