Why Notre Dame Fans Have Already Won Before Kickoff vs. Miami

ESPN announced its broadcast teams for the opening weekend, and to what should be the thrill of Notre Dame fans, Chris Fowler won't be on the call for the Fighting Irish tilt at Miami. Instead of him and Kirk Herbstreit, it'll be veteran voice Sean McDonough, along with former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, and sideline reporters Molly McGrath and Taylor McGregor.

This is largely the same team that broadcast most of Notre Dame's College Football Playoff run a season ago, as it did the home game versus Indiana, Sugar Bowl against Georgia, and Orange Bowl against Penn State.

Praise for Sean McDonough

The thing with Sean McDonough is that his broadcast resume is so long and impressive that you don't immediately associate him with college football. He's the current voice of the Stanley Cup Final for ESPN.

He's been the voice of the World Series for CBS, called Boston Red Sox games on WEEI, and has broadcast countless other events.

When you compile the best announcers in sports during my lifetime, McDonough is at worst near the very top of that list, if not sitting atop it.

Greg McElroy Over Kirk Herbstreit Is Also a Win

For as much love as Lee Corso gets, Kirk Herbstreit has been a tremendous ambassador for college football for a very long time. His time on College Gameday helped sell the sport to millions each Saturday morning, but his time in the booth comes off as a hassle for him anymore.

He's always got his dog with him to curry favor with the crowd, but his interest in the game directly in front of him seems to have taken a hit. Maybe it's time running its course, maybe its being stretched too thin since he now does the NFL Thursday night games, or maybe it's something else.

Whatever the case, McElroy is a pleasant voice in the booth. He doesn't seem annoyed, doesn't resort to predetermined talking points, and despite being a national champion quarterback from Alabama, doesn't come across as having a team or conference bias while on the call.

Instead of Fowler and Herbstriet foaming at the mouth like they did during Caleb Williams' 2023 performance against Notre Dame, Irish fans get to hear McDonough and McElroy, and that in itself is already a win.

Notre Dame vs. Miami: How to Watch

Game: No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami

Date: August 31, 2025

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

TV: ABC