Molly McGrath No Longer Covering College Football For ESPN, Will Shift To NFL

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In a shocking turn of events, Molly McGrath is moving on from covering college football for ESPN.

McGrath, who previously worked for Fox Sports and NESN, joined ESPN in July 2016. She started off as a sideline reporter for college basketball before solidifying her status as one of the best college football reporters in America.

Despite being a beloved reporter in the SEC community, Rutledge won't be back for the 2026 college football season. Instead, her focus will shift to the NFL.

According to Front Office Sports, ESPN will have McGrath cover NFL Network's package of games for the 2026 season. She'll also be a fill-in host for "NFL Live" when Laura Rutledge is unavailable.

"I’m thrilled to expand my role within ESPN’s NFL coverage and for the opportunity to showcase a broader range of skills, from sideline reporting to hosting in studio, while diving deeper into the sport at the highest level," McGrath told Front Office Sports.

College football fans are devastated over this news.

After Front Office Sports broke this news Friday, countless college football fans expressed their disappointment with ESPN's decision.

"I just fell to my knees," one fan wrote on X.

"Please tell me this is a joke," a second fan replied.

"This is ridiculous," another fan commented.

"Massive loss for college football," a social media user added.

We have no doubt McGrath will crush it in her new role. That being said, it's a bit unfortunate she won't continue covering college football.

This story was originally published by The Spun on Jul 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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