Make New York Post a Preferred Source ABC’s audio turned into a static-filled mess Saturday, just as the broadcasting crew was discussing the potential for communication disruptions due to President Donald Trump’s presence at the Texas-Tennessee football game.
Immediately after sideline reporter Laura Rutledge sent the broadcast back to play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler and analyst Kirk Herbstreit following her first-quarter report on the possibility that headset communication for the coaches would potentially be affected by Trump’s attendance at the game, the broadcast booth conversation was difficult to make out due to garbled sound and heavy static that lasted for several minutes.
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks on during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect At one point, Fowler could be heard telling Herbstreit to be quiet for a minute while technicians worked through the audio issues.
ABC posted a graphic on the screen while Rutledge was talking earlier, explaining “electromagnetic deconfliction” and the coordination of radio frequencies involving the Secret Service that was protecting President Trump as he moved around Neyland Stadium.
ESPN College GameDay analyst Kirk Herbstreit talks during the show on the lawn of Ayres Hall at the University of Tennessee, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Getty Images The clean audio was restored to the broadcast after a few minutes.
