Fowler to turn ESPN GameDay reigns over to Rece Davis

ESPN veteran announcer Rece Davis will take over as host of College GameDay next fall, replacing longtime host Chris Fowler on the popular football pregame show.

Davis will remain the host of ESPN’s College GameDay for basketball, the network said Thursday night.

Fowler has hosted College GameDay on football Saturdays since 1990. He will continue to work in the booth on ABC Saturday Night Football and host the Heisman Trophy presentation in December.

“I am truly proud and gratified to have hosted College GameDay for the past 25 years, from the humble early days in the studio to its present place on the sports TV landscape,” Fowler said in a statement. “Traveling the country with Lee (Corso), Kirk (Herbstreit), Desmond (Howard) and the whole GameDay family as we shared Saturday mornings with passionate football fans has been professionally and personally rewarding … and unforgettable fun.”

Davis signed a new contract with ESPN that extends through 2021.

“This agreement reflects our belief that Rece Davis is one of the very best in the industry,” ESPN executive vice president for programming and production John Wildhack said in a statement Thursday night.

“He’s established himself as a versatile and polished pro. Chris Fowler was instrumental in building College GameDay into an award-winning and iconic program that transcends sports with its excellence, relevance and influence on the public discourse. With Rece on board, we know College GameDay will remain the show of record for college football fans.”