NBC Taps Peyton Manning to Host “College Bowl” Reboot

The network has ordered 10 episodes of the rebooted quiz show to start

NBC Taps Peyton Manning to Host "College Bowl" Reboot
Peyton Manning reflects on his playing days with the Colts during a 2016 press conference.
Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Peyton Manning, who has turned down multiple offers to step into an NFL broadcast booth, has finally decided he is ready for some football — of the college variety.

NBC has inked Manning to be the host of a rebooted version of College Bowl, a game show where university students compete head-to-head for scholarship funds and bragging rights.

“I’ve always loved intense college competition, so I’m thrilled to be part of the team bringing back ‘College Bowl,’” Manning said. “Having personally seen the profound impact scholarships can make on deserving students, I can’t wait for the moment when we get to award life-changing scholarships to the winning team.”

NBC has ordered 10 episodes of the show to start, and a premiere date has yet to be announced.

“We’re excited to bring this beloved college game show back to primetime with a fresh new spin that is sure to not only entertain but also inspire,” NBCUniversal VP Jenny Groom told The Hollywood Reporter. “Peyton’s love for competition, sport and education makes him the perfect host and partner. It will be so much fun to showcase these college rivalries and, more importantly, the incredibly smart and talented students behind them.”

In related news, Manning leads the list of 25 semifinalists who have been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021.

Other top candidates to potentially receive a gold jacket as members of the Class of 2021 include Charles Woodson, Calvin Johnson, Jared Allen, Ronde Barber, Fred Taylor, Reggie Wayne and Richard Seymour.

Manning — who has two Super Bowl wins, five MVP awards and 14 Pro Bowl selections — will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

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