2026 NCAA Tournament: Jason Benetti to replace Brian Anderson for first-round games

Jason Benetti will replace Brian Anderson as the play-by-play announcer for Thursday’s first-round games in Buffalo, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand confirmed. Benetti will work alongside Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce as the 2026 NCAA Tournament gets underway.

Anderson was clearly under the weather during Tuesday’s First Four game between Texas and NC State, which he called with Dick Vitale, Charles Barkley and Jenny Dell. Marchand reported the hope is Anderson returns for Saturday’s second-round action.

SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter

Benetti was seen at Michigan practice on Wednesday, according to The Wolverine’s Anthony Broome and Clayton Sayfie, and it appears he’ll get the nod for play-by-play on Thursday. He recently left FOX for NBC, which announced him as its Sunday Night Baseball play-by-play announcer this season. Benetti also does work for Westwood One, which – along with NBC – granted CBS and TNT permission to bring him aboard for Thursday’s slate of games.

In Anderson’s spot, Benetti will have four games on his slate. He will be on the call for Louisville vs. USF, Michigan State vs. North Dakota State, Michigan vs. Howard and Georgia vs. Saint Louis to start the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

For some Michigan and Michigan State fans, Benetti will present a familiar voice on the call for their respective games. During baseball season, he is also the Detroit Tigers’ lead play-by-play announcer for Detroit SportsNet and also called his share of Big Ten football games last season for FOX alongside Robert Griffin III.

Anderson was in Dayton on Thursday to call a special First Four broadcast on truTV. It marked the first time Vitale called an NCAA Tournament game on TV after previously calling the Final Four on radio, and he paired with Barkley for the second time this year. They also did a game together during the regular season.

However, from the start, Anderson’s voice sounded raspy, though he fought through it as best he could. He will now get some extra time to recover as Benetti fills in for Thursday’s action.

Louisville vs. USF will be the first game in Buffalo with a 1:30 p.m. ET tip-off time as the 2026 NCAA Tournament gets underway. Michigan State vs. North Dakota State will follow at approx. 4:05 p.m. ET, with both games airing on TNT.

Then, in the nightcap, CBS will take over. Michigan vs. Howard tips off at 7:10 p.m. ET, followed by Georgia vs. Saint Louis at 9:45 p.m. ET.