Good news: ESPN’s McDonough will return for the bowls following brain surgery

ESPN released its announcer lineup for the 8,478 games it will air during the bowl season. OK, it’s only 34.

I looked to see if one name was on the list: Sean McDonough.

Sure enough, McDonough is set to do two games: The Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 and Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.

Those will be McDonough’s first broadcasts since undergoing surgery last Friday for superior canal dehiscence syndrome, a condition he was diagnosed with in spring of 2012.

From ESPN:

Superior canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) is a thinning or hole in the bone that separates the inner ear from the brain. McDonough, who discussed his condition with USA Today in June, experienced several of the symptoms associated with SCDS: a loud bang with each step he took, hearing his eyeballs move, hearing his heartbeat in his left ear and more.

“I want to thank my family, friends and colleagues who were so supportive and caring through this process,” McDonough said Monday morning. “I was blown away by the phone calls, emails and texts. This has been a very emotional experience and that means more to me than I can possibly explain. It has been a rough nine months and the surgery was tough but it is great to not hear my footsteps as I walk anymore. It’s a rare condition and surgery, I was fortunate to have Dr. Lee and his amazing staff of doctors and nurses.”

Something to be thankful for during the holiday season.

Here is ESPN’s complete announcer lineup:

Bowl Championship Series

Tue, Jan 1 5 p.m. Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio: Wisconsin vs. No. 6 Stanford ESPN: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox & Tom Rinaldi Radio: Dave Pasch, Brian Griese & Jenn Brown Deportes: Georgina Ruiz Sandoval & Robert Abramowitz ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN Radio
8:30 p.m. Discover Orange Bowl: No. 15 Northern Illinois vs. No. 12 Florida State ESPN: Joe Tessitore, Matt Millen & Maria Taylor Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad Deportes: Eduardo Varela & Pablo Viruega ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN Radio
Wed, Jan 2 8:30 p.m. Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 21 Louisville vs. No. 3 Florida ESPN: Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman & Quint Kessenich Radio: Bob Wischusen, Danny Kanell & Allison Williams Deportes: Eduardo Varela & Pablo Viruega ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio & ESPN 3D
Thu, Jan 3 8:30 p.m. Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: No. 4 Oregon vs. No. 5 Kansas State ESPN: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad Deportes: Eduardo Varela & Pablo Viruega ESPN, ESPN Deportes & ESPN Radio
Mon, Jan 7 8:30 p.m. Discover BCS National Championship: No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Alabama ESPN: Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit, Heather Cox & Tom Rinaldi Radio: Mike Tirico, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe & Joe Schad Deportes: Eduardo Varela & Pablo Viruega ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio & ESPN 3D

Additional Postseason Games

Date Time (ET) Game Network
Sat, Dec 15 1 p.m. Gildan New Mexico Bowl: Nevada vs. Arizona ESPN: Bob Wischusen, Danny Kanell & Kaylee Hartung Radio: Mark Neely, Ray Bentley & Marty Cesario ESPN, ESPN Radio & ESPN 3D
4:30 p.m. Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Toledo vs. No. 22 Utah State ESPN: Tom Hart, Mike Bellotti & Quint Kessenich Radio: Rich Cellini, Tom Ramsey & Shelley Smith ESPN & ESPN Radio
Thu, Dec 20 8 p.m. San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: BYU vs. San Diego State ESPN: Carter Blackburn, Rod Gilmore & Jemele Hill Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad ESPN, ESPN Radio & ESPN 3D
Fri, Dec 21 7:30 p.m. Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg: Central Florida vs. Ball State ESPN: Dave Neal, Andre Ware, Desmond Howard & Cara Capuano Radio: Dave Lamont, Matt Stinchcomb & Allison Williams ESPN & ESPN Radio
Sat, Dec 22 Noon R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: East Carolina vs. Louisiana-Lafayette ESPN: Beth Mowins, Joey Galloway & Quint Kessenich Radio: Marc Kestecher, Dan Hawkins & Ian Fitzsimmons ESPN & ESPN Radio
3:30 p.m. MAACO Bowl Las Vegas: Washington vs. No. 19 Boise State Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit & Tom Rinaldi ESPN
Mon, Dec 24 8 p.m. Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Fresno State vs. SMU ESPN: Carter Blackburn, Kelly Stouffer & Kaylee Hartung Radio: Marc Kestecher & Pete Najarian ESPN & ESPN Radio
Wed, Dec 26 7:30 p.m. Little Caesars Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Central Michigan Mark Neely, Ray Bentley & Jemele Hill ESPN
Thu, Dec 27 3 p.m. Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman: No. 24 San Jose State vs. Bowling Green Bob Wischusen, Danny Kanell & Quint Kessenich ESPN
6:30 p.m. Belk Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Duke Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham & Jeannine Edwards ESPN
9:45 p.m. Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl: Baylor vs. No. 17 UCLA ESPN: Dave Pasch, Brian Griese & Jenn Brown Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad ESPN, ESPN Radio & ESPN 3D
Fri, Dec 28 2 p.m. AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl: Ohio vs. Louisiana-Monroe Dave Lamont, Kelly Stouffer & Cara Capuano ESPN
5:30 p.m. Russell Athletic Bowl: Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech ESPN: Joe Tessitore, Matt Millen & Maria Taylor Radio: Adam Amin, Tom Luginbill & Brett McMurphy ESPN & ESPN Radio
9 p.m. Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas: Minnesota vs. Texas Tech ESPN: Mark Jones, Brock Huard & Jessica Mendoza Radio: Tom Hart, John Congemi & Niki Noto ESPN & ESPN Radio
Sat, Dec 29 11:45 a.m. Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl: Rice vs. Air Force ESPN: Beth Mowins, Joey Galloway & Lewis Johnson Radio: Eamon McAnaney, David Diaz-Infante & Paul Carcaterra ESPN & ESPN Radio
3:15 p.m. New Era Pinstripe Bowl: West Virginia vs. Syracuse ESPN: Chris Fowler, Jesse Palmer & Tom Rinaldi Radio: Marc Kestecher, Jack Ford & C.J. Papa ESPN & ESPN Radio
4 p.m. Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Navy vs. Arizona State Dave Pasch, Brian Griese & Jenn Brown ESPN2
6:45 p.m. Valero Alamo Bowl: No. 23 Texas vs. No. 13 Oregon State ESPN: Sean McDonough, Chris Spielman & Quint Kessenich Radio: Mark Neely, Ray Bentley & Kaylee Hartung ESPN & ESPN Radio
10:15 p.m. Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: TCU vs. Michigan State ESPN: Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe Radio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie & Joe Schad ESPN & ESPN Radio
Mon, Dec 31 Noon Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: NC State vs. Vanderbilt Carter Blackburn, Rod Gilmore & Jemele Hill ESPN
3:30 p.m. AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Iowa State vs. Tulsa ESPN: Mark Jones, Brock Huard & Jessica Mendoza Radio: Beth Mowins, Joey Galloway & Lewis Johnson ESPN & ESPN Radio
7:30 p.m. Chick-fil-A Bowl: No. 8 LSU vs. No. 14 Clemson ESPN: Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham & Jeannine Edwards Radio: Dave Neal, Andre Ware & Cara Capuano ESPN & ESPN Radio
Tue, Jan 1 Noon TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl: Mississippi State vs. No. 20 Northwestern Bob Wischusen, Danny Kanell & Allison Williams ESPN2
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Purdue vs. Oklahoma State Clay Matvick, Matt Stinchcomb & Kaylee Hartung ESPNU
1 p.m. Capital One Bowl: No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 16 Nebraska ABC: Rece Davis, Jesse Palmer, David Pollack & Samantha Steele Radio: Dave Lamont, Kelly Stouffer & Brett McMurphy ABC & ESPN Radio
Outback Bowl: No. 10 South Carolina vs. No. 18 Michigan ESPN: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden & Shannon Spake Radio: Carter Blackburn, John Congemi & Jemele Hill ESPN & ESPN Radio
Fri, Jan 4 7 p.m. AT&T Cotton Bowl: No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Oklahoma Brad Sham, Ed Cunningham & Ian Fitzsimmons ESPN Radio
Sat, Jan 5 1 p.m. BBVA Compass Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss ESPN: Eamon McAnaney, David Diaz-Infante & Paul Carcaterra Radio: Dave Lamont, Kelly Stouffer & Allison Williams ESPN & ESPN Radio
Sun, Jan 6 9 p.m. GoDaddy.com Bowl: No. 25 Kent State vs. Arkansas State Mark Jones, Brock Huard & Jessica Mendoza