Holly Rowe News Emerges Ahead of Texas-Tennessee Game

The suddenly controversial ESPN sideline reporter is set for a big Week 4.

ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe will find herself at the center of another big weekend in college football. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For supporters or detractors of ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe, the latest news is in: she's set for another weekend at the center of the biggest game in college football. Rowe has been in the headlines after Texas coach Steve Sarkisian blew off her Week 2 post-game interview request in the aftermath of the Longhorns' victory over Ohio State. When Texas QB Arch Manning then drew headlines for seeming to be amused at an AI-based video of Sarkisian slapping Rowe, the venerable sideline reporter found herself in the news again.

Rowe's next plans

Rowe drew her Week 4 assignment and she's going to the early game-- Texas at Tennessee. Meaning, another week with the Longhorns, Sarkisian, Manning, and to boot, the biggest game in college football this weekend. There's nowhere else Rowe would be more likely to be than the sport's biggest stage, despite a rough couple of weeks in the spotlight.

On the call for No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee this Saturday:

Play-by-play — Chris Fowler
Analyst — Kirk Herbstreit
Sideline — Holly Rowe

Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on ABC.

— Ben McKee (@benmckee14) September 21, 2026

Recent controversy for Rowe

Rowe's postgame issues with Sarkisian represented a significant breach of protocol-- and apparently, even with ESPN's contract with SEC schools. Given that schools draw their most lucrative revenue source from those television deals, the network's request for a postgame moment from the victorious coach seems to draw compliance from even some of the sport's prickliest sideline warriors. But Sarkisian flew out of the screen, leaving a visibly annoyed Rowe hanging.

Some though Rowe's obvious reaction a bit unprofessional, which is presumably what set AI creators on the path to retribution. Arch Manning was seemingly caught off guard by a question about the situation, and initially showed some bemusement before later apologizing to Rowe.

Rowe's career history

Rowe, who is 60 years old, has been with ESPN for other three decades. She has worked as a sideline reporter for college football throughout, but also handles play-by-play broadcasting for women's basketball and volleyball. But Rowe has showed range and versatility, even working as a broadcast analyst for the NBA's Utah Jazz. She has also worked for CBS and Fox Sports, among other networks.

Not only did Rowe have to endure headlines and artificial insults, but her mother passed away in the midst of the media storm. Presumanbly, she will be ready to get back to games. If Texas wins again, it'll certainly bear watching to see how frosty or repentant Sarkisian will be in the post-game interview that Rowe will inevitably seek.