Who Are the Announcers for Wisconsin vs Miami (OH) Week 1 Football Game?

Miami (OH) is a rare opponent for the Badgers; in fact, they have only faced the RedHawks once in their history. They were completely dominated by Wisconsin 58-0 when they met back in 2015. The second round? On August 28 at 9 PM ET, in Week 1 of the new season. On paper, it seems like the Badgers are expected to keep up their 27-year winning streak in home openers in a non-conference game, but the RedHawks arrive with almost their entire offense revamped.

Miami (OH) just wrapped up a great 9-5 season with a big win in the Arizona Bowl, but the worst part is that they lost all 11 of their offensive starters. They are bringing in dual-threat QB DeQuan Finn, who was at Baylor before settling at Oxford. Thomas Casale of SportsLine stated, “Miami (OH) is a team I am looking to fade early in the season… I love going against teams with a brand-new offensive line early in the season because that unit is all about playing together. Miami’s entire returning offensive line has just three career starts.” 

Who’s calling the game on the Big Ten Network? When Wisconsin plays Miami (OH) on Thursday night to start the season, the broadcast team is all Big Ten, with Lisa Byington calling plays, Anthony Herron serving as a color analyst in the booth, and Patrick Herb wandering the sidelines. These days, Byington’s voice is heard everywhere. In addition to calling March Madness, college football, and World Cup soccer, she was the first woman to give commentary on a football game on BTN in 2017. “I was taught to never say no to opportunity… There’s nothing like arriving at a stadium or an arena, feeling the energy of a game day, and knowing that THIS is your ‘office,'” she once said.

Anthony Herron, an NFL defensive lineman and former Iowa captain, adds valuable insights to commentary with his experiences from being on the field. He is witty and entertaining and brings in-depth insights, as he is more familiar with the trenches than most. In short, he is the guy who has done it all, knows the grind, and knows how to talk about it.

Meanwhile, Patrick Herb is basically a walking, talking encyclopedia of Wisconsin sports. After serving as the director of communications for more than 15 years, he is currently the assistant AD for the Badgers. However, he is the person on the sidelines with the inside expertise on game day. If you’ve ever listened to Wisconsin Radio. Every time Herb holds the microphone, you can hear his pride in saying that being a part of this program feels like being a member of a family.

The Wisconsin Badgers are heavy favorites.

With an 83% chance to defeat Miami (OH) in the first game, ESPN’s Football Power Index isn’t leaving much room for suspense. It makes sense on paper. After a shaky 12–13 run under Luke Fickell, the Badgers are eager to get off to a fast start at home against the RedHawks, who have a shaky offense starting with 11 new players.

“I know UW fans would love to see the team come out clicking on all cylinders, but it doesn’t seem to go that way for the Badgers in these early-season matchups… That will be especially challenging given all the changes coach Luke Fickell and his staff have made.” Mark Stewart said. Last year’s 5-7 season has left plenty of doubts, and Badger fans are looking for more than just a win this time.

But nobody’s doubting tomorrow’s outcome. “I don’t think anyone doubts that Wisconsin can beat Miami (Ohio). The question will be how Wisconsin beats Miami… this is a game where the Badgers could and should be able to pull away,” John Steppe noted. In Week 1 of last year, Western Michigan pushed UW into the fourth quarter, which was a huge disappointment to Badger fans. But, this game feels like the kind where Wisconsin eventually grinds down the RedHawks because freshman Dilin Jones is ready to carry the load, and Miami’s rebuilt O-line is still not used to it.

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