A staple of the SEC Network is set to undergo a pretty significant shakeup. Reportedly.
“SEC Nation” is an SEC Network pregame show in the vein of ESPN’s wildly-popular College GameDay. Like its corporate cousin, “SEC Nation” originates from a different conference campus every Saturday of the college football season. Debuting in 2014, three original personalities remain: Tim Tebow, Paul Finebaum and Marcus Spears.
Come to the 2020 season, per one report, Tebow will be the lone surviving original. According to the New York Post, both Finebaum and Spears are leaving the show. From the Post‘s report:Finebaum and Spears are leaving SEC Network’s version of “GameDay” on their own accord. Finebaum, who was on the program for six years, will continue on his radio/TV show and his many appearances on ESPN.
Spears is receiving a promotion as he will appear more regularly on the revamped “NFL Live.”
The same source is reporting that “Bachelorette star/college football analyst Jordan Rodgers will be added to the show.” Host Laura Rutledge is expected to remain with the show in the same capacity. Rutledge joined “SEC Nation” as a reporter in 2016 before moving into her hosting duties the following season. Joe Tessitore was the original host of the show.
Rodgers, the younger brother of former Cal and current Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, played quarterback at Vanderbilt from 2010-12. Hec was the starter for the final year and a half of his time with the Commodores.
It’s expected that Rodgers will do his “SEC Nation” duties gameday morning, then pull a Kirk Herbstreit and call a game on the SEC Network that night.