Alyssa Lang is moving into a bigger spotlight at ESPN, and the University of South Carolina alum will still be part of the network’s college football coverage in 2026.
ESPN did not include Lang in its annual announcement of college football announcer pairings on Tuesday, but that was because her job is changing. According to a network source, she has been shifted into an elevated studio role and will serve as the main host for ESPN’s Friday and Saturday college football wrap-around shows from Bristol, Connecticut.
PennLive.com first reported the move.
Lang joined ESPN and SEC Network in 2018, and she is not leaving SEC coverage behind entirely. In 2026, she will still have one weekly hosting assignment on “SEC Now,” the SEC Network’s afternoon flagship show.
Her new role puts her in line to replace Matt Barrie as the face of ESPN’s wrap-around coverage. A formal announcement is expected soon.
Lang addressed the change in a Tuesday post on X after responding to a fan.
“Still going to be working CFB Saturdays! Just in a different role. Will share more soon,” Lang wrote, attaching a heart emoji.
The move adds another major stop to a TV résumé that has made Lang one of USC’s most recognizable alumni in the broadcasting world. Since arriving at ESPN and SEC Network, she has worked as a sideline reporter for SEC Network football games, including last year’s Clemson-USC game in Columbia. She has also hosted “SEC Now” and “Out of Pocket.”
Her profile has continued to rise. Lang made her “SportsCenter” hosting debut in 2024, then added more to her schedule this summer by working as a studio host for the men’s College World Series in Omaha and as an NBA sideline reporter. She also handled sideline duties for a second straight women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
A 2015 South Carolina graduate, Lang started her television career in Columbia as an intern and later a full-time sports reporter at WLTX, the local CBS affiliate. She also worked in Jacksonville, Florida before joining ESPN.
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