NBC has its usual Notre Dame home game while Versus is out to the left coast to air a Pac-12 conference game. Take a look at what the NBC Sports Group is saying about the NBC/Versus doubleheader tomorrow.
ANDREW LUCK LEADS #7 STANFORD AGAINST COLORADO IN PRIMETIME ON VERSUS THIS SATURDAY AT 7:30 PM ET
Notre Dame Hosts Air Force on NBC at 3:30 p.m. ET
“Notre Dame is coming off their most comprehensive effort in the season against Purdue.” – Mike Mayock
“What is most impressive about Stanford is how good each player is. They are humble and dedicated – everything you would want your son to be.” – Glenn ParkerNEW YORK (October 6, 2011) – Andrew Luck, Stanford’s celebrated senior quarterback and a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, leads the No. 7 Cardinal (4-0) against Pac-12 newcomers Colorado (1-4) this Saturday night in primetime at 7:30 p.m. ET on VERSUS. The game is the second in a NBC Sports Group doubleheader that kicks off on NBC at 3:30 p.m. ET when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (4-2) hosts the Air Force Falcons (3-1).
After a slow start this season, Notre Dame has won three straight games, including a recent 38-10 blowout victory over Purdue on Oct. 1. The Falcons are coming off a thrilling overtime win over Navy (35-34) last weekend. The Colorado Buffaloes have had a rocky start to the season and now face their toughest opponent to date, the undefeated Stanford Cardinal who is looking for its fifth win in a row.
COMMENTATORS – NBC will team commentators Tom Hammond (play-by-play) with Mike Mayock (analyst) and Alex Flanagan (sideline reporter) for the Notre Dame coverage. Ted Robinson and Glenn Parker will lead VERSUS’ Pac-12 Conference coverage as play-by-play announcer and analyst, respectively. They will be joined by Akbar Gbaja-Biamila on the field as the sideline analyst. NBC and VERSUS will have an analyst reporting from the sidelines for all college football games to provide first-person analysis from the field and interact with the play-by-play and color announcers in the booth.
VERSUS will surround its college football game coverage this weekend with a pre-game studio show, as well as halftime reports and post-game coverage, from NBC’s Football Night in America studio (Studio 8G) at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The pre-game show begins this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, and will be hosted by Liam McHugh with 1984 Heisman Trophy-winner Doug Flutie and Super Bowl champion and former NFL tight end Roland Williams serving as studio analysts. NBC will also present a halftime show featuring McHugh and Flutie providing scores and highlights.
WILLIAMS ON ANDREW LUCK: “Andrew Luck is the total package. His ability to take apart man zone defenses already has him pegged as a player that would have an impact in the NFL.”
WILLIAMS ON NOTRE DAME: “Notre Dame looks to continue its momentum after an important road win versus Purdue last week. It seems a few things are clear: the Fighting Irish have found their quarterback in Tommy Rees, and the running game is a viable threat with the emergence of running back Cierre Wood.”
MAYOCK ON AIR FORCE: “An incredibly disciplined and tough Air Force Academy team, their offense is multiple; including an ability to run many forms of options, but also throw the football, with a very talented quarterback in Tim Jefferson. Don’t forget the last time Air Force visited South Bend, they walked out of the stadium with a big win in 2007.”
WILLIAMS ON AIR FORCE: “For Air Force, its opportunity lies in the hands of its senior quarterback Tim Jefferson. Expect Air Force to keep this game close.”
PARKER ON COLORADO: “Coach Embree is bringing a new attitude to Colorado, he has come in saying it will be hard and that he requires discipline and no one will get a free pass, and he is following through on those words. He is drawing a line in the sand for his kids. Embree is making all the right moves for the entire program and for that school.”
I think I’ll post one more press release coming up.