Musburger, Palmer lead SEC team

— -- Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer each has reached agreement with ESPN to be the lead college football game commentators on the SEC Network when it launches in August.

The Hall of Fame sportscaster and former Florida quarterback will kick off the season Aug. 28, calling the Texas A&M-South Carolina game in Columbia, S.C.

"Brent Musburger is a cultural icon who has been guiding fans through many of sport's most spectacular moments for decades," said John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, programming and production. "His big-game performance and unmistakable style will elevate our football coverage on the SEC Network."

"Jesse Palmer has quickly established himself as one of college football's most insightful, entertaining and dedicated analysts" Wildhack added. "As a former SEC quarterback, he brings the perfect combination of playing experience and deep conference knowledge to the SEC Network. Partnering him with Brent on this new national platform will create a memorable booth for college football fans everywhere."

Musburger is one of the most recognized voices in sports television history and will remain a staple of ESPN's sports coverage with a multiyear contract extension. In addition to lending his voice to one of the three football games slated for the network each Saturday, Musburger will continue as a play-by-play announcer for Big 12 men's basketball games across ESPN networks.

"I'm delighted to be staying with ESPN, thrilled to be able to call the best football conference in the nation every week and am really looking forward to working with Jesse, who I covered while he was at Florida," Musburger said in a statement. "Jesse has tremendous football knowledge, knows this league very well and does his homework."

Palmer's new deal with ESPN includes his continuation as an analyst on ESPN's "Thursday Night College Football" package.

"I am honored and humbled at the rare opportunity to help launch a national network of this magnitude and to do so alongside Brent, a legend within the sport and the industry," Palmer said. "Playing in the SEC represented four of the greatest years of my life and I feel incredibly fortunate to now have the opportunity to cover this great conference."

Musburger and Palmer join a growing roster of nationally recognized on-air commentators for the SEC Network, including Joe Tessitore, Tim Tebow and Paul Finebaum. Additional ESPN and SEC Network college football announcements will be made at a later date.

The SEC and ESPN have a 20-year agreement through 2034 to create and operate a multiplatform network.