It is the time of year when not only are college football bowl game lineups announced, but the networks and other details – including the announcing crews on various media platforms – are also announced.

 

For those who might be new to social media or only occasionally follow it that just happen to be fans or followers of Bridgeport football, I get the same question every year.

 

“Is Travis Jones done announcing Bridgeport football?”

 

The answer is no. The reason for it, at least a dozen times each year prior to the holidays, is Jones usually makes an announcement on social media that he has been assigned play-by-play duties for bowl games.

 

As for 2021, it is no different. Jones will be handling those duties at four games. Jones will be working the Cricket Wireless Celebration Bowl at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta (South Carolina State vs. Jackson State); the Myrtle Beach Bowl in Conway SC (Tulsa vs. Old Dominion); the Ticket Smarter Birmingham Bowl (Houston vs. Auburn); and the Military Bowl in Annapolis (Boston College vs. East Carolina).

 

“This is my fourth year doing bowl games. The first year I had one bowl game, and now I’m up to four,” said Jones.

 

Most probably know the events are not part of the MetroNews network where Jones plows his on-air football trade. He is actually hired as an independent contractor for the games.

 

“They are ESPN events and they run the bowl game. Then ESPN contracts GameDay radio, which is the company that hired me to freelance as they have the rights to the ESPN events,” said Jones. “The games are broadcast and offered across the country to various radio stations and affiliate radio stations of the programs, as well as on Sirius nationwide and the Tuned In radio app.”

 

From one bowl game four years ago to four bowl games four years later after doing that first one in Birmingham. It is apparent some of the folks at ESPN know what we already know – Jones is that good. And he plans on being good in the booth right here in Bridgeport for football games as well as a multitude of Indians basketball games well into the future.

 

“That’s still my main thing,” said Jones with a laugh. “This just happens to work out with my schedule between Bridgeport and Fairmont State (where he also handles football and hoops duties) because of holiday breaks. The way it is set up, I can work it out and schedule these bowl games in.”

 

Jones said the change in pace is “enjoyable.” He’s also now doing repeat bowls and getting comfortable at venues. He’s now done it enough that the Birmingham Bowl has moved to its new venue on the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

 

“There are a lot of really unique things you get to experience. The Celebration Bowl in Atlanta has us working in the Atlanta Falcons radio booth and the Falcons’ engineer is my engineer,” said Jones. “There are no worries there because he knows the building.”

 

Jones is also looking to the Military Bowl. In particular, he’s looking forward to being in Annapolis on Navy’s campus.

 

This year’s bowl lineups also offer some unique individuals. He’ll be calling Jackson State’s game with Coach Deion Sanders, as well as the University of Houston and former West Virginia University Coach Dana Holgorsen.

 

As for who will be joining him, he does not know exactly who will be with him in all of the bowls, but most of them. He’ll be joined by D.J. Shockley at the Celebration and Birmingham Bowls.

 

“If the name sounds familiar it should. He was the starting quarterback at Georgia when WVU beat them in the Sugar Bowl,” said Jones.

 

In the Myrtle Beach Bowl, it is not a name familiar with many, but one that knows West Virginia. Jones will be joined by Landry Burdine of the TCU Radio Network.

 

“The guys I work with are pros,” said Jones. “It’s all different, and it adds a bit of variety to things.”

 

It also does something else for anyone who calls Bridgeport football games for 20-plus years.

 

“We’re keeping things fresh because despite what some may think, it is fun to call games where both teams throw the ball,” said Jones.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Travis Jones at a past GameDay Bowl Radio broadcast, while in the second photo he's shown with Tanetra Batisteand former NFL Tight end Randy McMichael. In the bottom photo, Jones is shown with John Denton of the TCU Radio Network and Melanie Newman, who is currently one of the radio play by play voices of the Baltimore Orioles.