Thursday, August 20, 2026

‘Stanford Steve’ Coughlin to Succeed Chris Fallica on College GameDay

  • Stanford Steve has served as Scott Van Pelt’s longtime sidekick on the “Bad Beats” betting segment.
  • Fallica left ESPN for rival Fox Sports last year.
ESPN's Stanford Steve
Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images.

“Stanford Steve” Coughlin will replace the departed Chris “The Bear” Fallica on this season’s “College Gameday.”

Coughlin, Scott Van Pelt’s longtime “Bad Beats” sidekick, will join host Rece Davis and analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee, along with college football insider Pete Thamel and reporters Jen Lada and Jess Sims.

“Anyone who has met Stanford Steve knows how passionate he is about college football. Adding him to College GameDay will be a great fit as we tap into both his knowledge of the sport and his betting expertise every week to serve all of our loyal fans,” said Lee Fitting, ESPN’s senior vice president,
production.

Fallica left ESPN for Fox Sports last year. He serves as the network’s sports wagering expert.

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