Thursday is a big day for college football fans. It’s the official start of the season with plenty of games and you know ESPN will be all over it. I have a bunch of college football press releases so let’s bunch them together in this post.
Check out ESPN is saying about Thursday’s start of the season. Announcing assignments are included.
2009 College Football Season Kicks Off Thursday
First Week of Season to Include 28 Games in Five Days and College GameDay from Atlanta as Part of Kickoff Week
ESPN will kick off the 2009 college football season with the second annual Kickoff Week (Thursday, Sept. 3 to Monday, Sept. 7), featuring extensive studio programming and 28 games over Labor Day weekend, including Labor Day, across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPNEWS, ESPN.com, ESPN Radio, ESPN Classic, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN International, ESPN The Magazine and SportsCenter.
As part of Kickoff Week, ESPN will provide extensive studio coverage, including College GameDay originating from Atlanta – site of the ABC Saturday Night Football telecast pitting #5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech in the College Kickoff Game Sept. 5 at 8 p.m.
- College GameDay, entering its 23rd season, will air every Saturday at 10 a.m. on ESPN during the college football season beginning Sept. 5. This year will mark the 16th consecutive year College GameDay will consistently originate from the site of one of the day’s best games or most compelling storylines. Chris Fowler will return as host for his 20th season with analysts Lee Corso, who has been affiliated with the show since the first year, Kirk Herbstreit, who joined in 1996, and Desmond Howard, entering his fourth season.
The first week of game coverage will feature 28 telecasts in five days across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com, ESPN Classic, ESPN Radio and ESPN Mobile TV. In addition to #5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech, highlights include:
- The Pac-10’s #16 Oregon will look to avenge a 37-32 loss last year against defending WAC champion #14 Boise State, which finished the regular-season undefeated, Thursday, Sept. 3, at 10:15 p.m. on ESPN.
- ESPN will televise the first college football game from Dallas’ new Cowboys Stadium pitting #20 BYU against #3 Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. BYU won the only meeting between the perennial powers 31-6 in the 1994 Copper Bowl.
- An ABC telecast Saturday, Sept. 5, at 3:30 p.m. will feature a #13 Georgia at #9 Oklahoma State. Georgia, 34-3 against non-conference opponents with head coach Mark Richt, will open against a top-10 ranked team for the first time since 1967. Oklahoma State has won 15 straight non-conference games at Boone Pickens Stadium.
- The fifth annual The MEAC/SWAC Challenge from Orlando will pit MEAC defending champion South Carolina State against 2008 SWAC title winner Grambling State for the first time since 1994 on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.
- A special Monday night college football telecast (one week before ESPN’s Monday Night Football kickoff) will feature Miami at #18 Florida State on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. on ESPN. It will mark the first time the intrastate ACC rivals have played on Labor Day since 2006, which was ESPN’s most-viewed college football game ever – regular and postseason – with 6,330,000 households (based on a 6.9 rating).
- Other ranked teams in action include:
- #6 Ohio State against Navy Saturday, Sept. 5, at noon on ESPN;
- #8 Mississippi at Memphis Sunday, Sept. 6, at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN;
- #11 LSU at Washington Saturday, Sept. 5, at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN;
- #12 California against Maryland Saturday, Sept. 5, at 10 p.m. on ESPN2;
- #15 Georgia Tech against Jacksonville State Saturday, Sept. 5, at 1 p.m. on ESPN360.com;
- #21 North Carolina against The Citadel Saturday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. on ESPN360.com.
Date
Time (ET)
Game / Commentators
Network
Thu, Sep 3
7 p.m.
South Carolina at N.C. State
Sean McDonough, Craig James, Jesse Palmer and Erin Andrews
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
7:30 p.m.
North Texas at Ball State
Charlie Neal and Jay Walker
ESPNU
10:15 p.m.
#16 Oregon at #14 Boise State
Mark Jones, Bob Davie and Heather Cox
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
Fri, Sep 4
8 p.m.
Tulsa at Tulane
Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
Sat, Sep 5
noon
Navy at #6 Ohio State
Dave Pasch, Chris Spielman and Bob Griese
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
noon
Minnesota at Syracuse
Pam Ward and Ray Bentley
ESPN2/ESPN360.com
noon
Kentucky vs. Miami (Ohio) [From Cincinnati]
Clay Matvick and David Diaz-Infante
ESPNU
1 p.m.
Jacksonville State at #15 Georgia Tech
Frank Giardina and Doug Chapman
ESPN360.com
2 p.m.
Northeastern at Boston College
Dave Popkin and Jon Ritchie
ESPN360.com
3:30 p.m.
#13 Georgia at #9 Oklahoma State *
Sean McDonough, Matt Millen and Holly Rowe
ABC/ESPN360.com
Western Michigan at Michigan *
Mike Patrick, Craig James and Quint Kessenich
ABC/ESPN360.com
Baylor at Wake Forest
Dave Lamont and JC Pearson
ABC/ESPN360.com
3:30 p.m.
Reverse Mirror of ABC *
ESPN2/ESPN360.com
3:30 p.m.
Jackson State at Mississippi State
Todd Harris and Charles Arbuckle
ESPNU
3:30 p.m.
Missouri vs. Illinois
Ron Franklin and Ed Cunningham
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
6 p.m.
Middle Tennessee at Clemson
Ryan Rose and Danny Kanell
ESPN360.com
6 p.m.
William & Mary at Virginia
Jim Barbar and Sonny Randle
ESPN360.com
6 p.m.
The Citadel at #21 North Carolina
Bob Picozzi and Paul Maguire
ESPN360.com
7 p.m.
Cowboys Classic : #20 BYU vs. #3 Oklahoma (From Cowboys Stadium)
Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge and Heather Cox
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Radio/ESPN Mobile TV
7 p.m.
Louisiana Tech at Auburn
Eric Collins, Brock Huard and Beth Mowins
ESPNU
7 p.m.
Connecticut at Ohio
Michael Reghi and Jerod Cherry
ESPN360.com
8 p.m.
Kickoff Game: #5 Alabama vs. #7 Virginia Tech (from Atlanta)
Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit and Lisa Salters
ABC/ESPN Radio
10 p.m.
Maryland at #12 California
Terry Gannon and David Norrie
ESPN2/ESPN360.com
10:30 p.m.
#11 LSU at Washington
Mark Jones and Bob Davie
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
10:30 p.m.
Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern
Carter Blackburn and Eddie Robinson, Jr.
ESPNU
Sun, Sep 6
2 p.m.
Grambling State vs. South Carolina St. (from Orlando, The MEAC•SWAC Challenge)
Charlie Neal and Jay Walker
ESPN2/ESPN360.com
3:30 p.m.
#8 Mississippi at Memphis
Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
Mon, Sep 7
4 p.m.
Cincinnati at Rutgers
Bob Wischusen and Brian Griese
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
8 p.m.
Miami at #18 Florida State
Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge and Erin Andrews
ESPN/ESPN360.com/ESPN Mobile TV
* Reverse mirror in which ESPN or ESPN2 will regionalize two games on ABC to markets no receiving the telecast
^ Same-day delay
ESPN’s syndication arm, ESPN Regional Television, kicks off its SEC season with a new studio show on the SEC Network.
ESPN Regional Television Kicks off College Football Season with New SEC Network Studio ShowESPN Regional Television, the new over-the-air syndication home for Southeastern Conference programming, will debut its weekly live show from the SEC Network Studio on Saturday, Sept. 5, at noon ET, before the Western Kentucky at Tennessee matchup, as part of the SEC Network regionally syndicated college sports package that will air in more than 75 television markets and 66 million households (58 percent of the U.S.) – a result of the landmark 15-year agreement between ESPN, Inc., and the SEC.
In the noon to 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday window, the SEC Network will be ESPN’s third-largest network, behind only ESPN and ESPN2. The live pregame show from the SEC Network Studio, with host Rob Stone and analyst Matt Stinchcomb, is produced by ESPN Regional Television at its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., also the home of ESPNU.
“The studio show is something this package has not had in the past,” said Mike Moore, ESPN Regional Television senior coordinating producer. “We’ll have a completely separate production team working on content that is more about the SEC overall. The guys here will talk about what else is going on around the league, and once the game starts they’ll bring highlights and scores from other SEC games and national games, during the game and at halftime.”
Along with analysis of the SEC East and SEC West and a look at the three new coaches in the conference, Stone and Stinchcomb will discuss the following on the premiere from the SEC Network Studio:
* Can anyone knock off top-ranked Florida?
* Head coach Lane Kiffin’s impact at Tennessee
* Is Mississippi’s Jevan Snead the best QB in the SEC? The country?
* Who has the “craziest” fans in the SEC?Also, ESPN analyst and former Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware will join Stinchcomb for “Quick Hits,” a discussion of the hottest topics of the day.
The show will also feature student reporters, all seniors, from Kentucky (Nick Stacy), Vanderbilt (Jacquie Berger), Arkansas (John Gossett), Auburn (Kristen Keller) and Mississippi State (Lace Stewart).
The SEC Network features an SEC football Game of the Week regionally for 13 consecutive Saturdays. Telecasts will kick off at noon ET/11 a.m. CT with the live show from the SEC Network Studio, followed by the matchup, generally determined 12 to six days in advance.
SEC Network coverage will feature extensive football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball telecasts, produced by ESPN Regional Television.
Within the nine-state SEC footprint, the SEC Network will be delivered in markets by the local over-the-air carrier of SEC events. In markets outside the SEC footprint, the syndicated programming will air on either local, over-the-air television stations or regional sports cable networks.
About Rob Stone
Stone joined ESPN in 1997 as the host of ESPN2’s Worldwide Soccer, and has since covered a variety of events. He is a sideline reporter for select MLS and U.S. Soccer telecasts, and has covered the last three FIFA World Cups and hosted the last 11 MLS Cups. He has been a college football sideline reporter since 1999. Rob’s complete bio, here.About Matt Stinchcomb
Stinchcomb started his television career in 2007 with Comcast Sports Southeast as an analyst and host. He has been a commentator and college football expert on SportsNite and is a color announcer for the Georgia Bulldogs. He also is a host and analyst for SEC College Football Today on Atlanta radio AM 680 The Fan. Matt’s complete bio, here.
NBC is hoping to go nowhere but up after last season’s horrible Notre Dame showing. With 8 home games this season, NBC is feeling a Notre Dame ratings resurgence.
NOTRE DAME OPENS ITS SEASON AGAINST NEVADA SATURDAY ON NBC
"Better, more talented, more confident" - NBC's Haden on Notre Dame
NEW YORK - Sept. 2, 2009 - Notre Dame opens its 2009 season hosting Nevada, the first-ever meeting between the two schools, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports. Tom Hammond (play-by-play) and Pat Haden (analyst) and Alex Flanagan (sideline reporter) call the action.
"I anticipate this to be a much different Irish team than we have seen the past two years -- better, more talented, more confident," said Haden. "The Irish have not had the depth that they possess this year in any year I have covered them for NBC.
"While this is a veteran team with 18 starters returning, some freshmen will make their mark early. Linebacker Manti Te'o is the most talked about freshman, as he should be, but receiver Shaquelle Evans will have an immediate impact on offense. With Clausen at QB and two very talented returning receivers in Michael Floyd and Golden Tate, ND should find the end zone a lot through the air. But to be a BCS team they will have to run the ball much better than they have the past two seasons."
Nevada returns 15 starters from a team that went 7-6 last season and played in a bowl game for the fourth consecutive year.
NOTRE DAME FACTS & FIGURES: This game will mark the start of the 121st football season at the University of Notre Dame dating back to 1887 (the Irish did not field teams in 1890 or 1891). Notre Dame enters the 2009 season with an all-time record of 831-284-42 (.736 winning percentage) and return 18 starters from last year's squad. The Irish are 70-8-3 (.883) in season openers inside Notre Dame Stadium.
NOTRE DAME ON NBCSPORTS.COM: To complement NBC's broadcast coverage, NBCSports.com will offer a live post-game webcast, which will originate from Notre Dame Stadium and extend the NBC television broadcasts by providing an unprecedented depth of Notre Dame coverage including live coverage of Coach Charlie Weis' press conference.
NOTRE DAME ON NBC: In June of 2008, the University of Notre Dame and NBC Sports announced a new five-year agreement under which NBC will televise Irish home football games through 2015, which will mark the 25th year of the partnership. The extension provides NBC rights to eight Notre Dame home games from 2011-15, seven games at Notre Dame Stadium and an additional eighth off-site home game airing in primetime each year. The landmark relationship began in 1991.
NOTRE DAME ON NBC SCHEDULE (ALL GAMES BROADCAST IN HD):
Sept. 5 - Nevada, 3:30 p.m. ET
Sept. 19 - Michigan State, 3:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 3 - Washington, 3:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 17 - USC, 3:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 24 - Boston College, 3:30 p.m. ET
Oct. 31 - Washington State*, 7:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 7 - Navy, 2:30 p.m. ET
Nov. 21 - Connecticut, 2:30 p.m. ET
*From the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
And I save the best for last. The Big Ten Network premieres a new show this Friday with Fang’s Bites all-time fave, Charissa Thompson!!!!
‘Big Ten’s Best’ to Spotlight Conference’s Legends, Tradition
Series debuts Friday with ‘Dynamic Football Duo’s of 80’s and 90’s’
CHICAGO – As the oldest Division I athletic conference, the Big Ten Conference has long been known for its excellent players, coaches, teams, tradition and history. The Big Ten Network will honor the conference’s outstanding legacy with the new series, “The Big Ten’s Best.”
Hosted by Charissa Thompson, the series premieres at 8 PM ET on Friday, with “Best Dynamic Football Duos of the 80’s and 90’s.” New episodes will air at 8 PM ET each Friday.
“One of the things that makes the Big Ten special is its unique sense of history and tradition. ‘Big Ten’s Best’ will spotlight the players, coaches and teams that have made the conference what it is today,” said Mark Hulsey, Big Ten Network Executive Producer and VP, Production. “These shows will und
oubtedly spark some debates between fan bases, whose rivalries help characterize the conference.”Each program will rank the conference’s top 10 performers or performances in a particular category and include interviews with players, coaches and media.
Upcoming shows this fall will include “Best Big Ten Running Backs of the 90’s,” “Best Big Ten Quarterbacks of the 80’s,” “Best Football Finishes of the 80’s,” “Best Football Finishes of the 90’s,” “Best Big Ten Basketball Players of the 80’s,” “Best Big Ten Basketball Players of the 90’s,” “Best Dynamic Duos in Big Ten Basketball,” “Best Basketball Finishes of the 80’s,” and “Best Basketball Finishes of the 90’s.”
And I’ll pass along this tidbit from MovieTickets.com listing the Top Five College Football movies of all-time among respondents. I vehemently disagree with the top choice.
With the kickoff to College Football set for this Thursday, MovieTickets.com asked moviegoers to pick the greatest college football movie of all-time. Of the almost 25,000 moviegoers polled, more than half backed “Rudy.” Feel free to use in any upcoming blog posts or stories.
MovieTickets.com Poll: What is the best college football movie of all-time?
1. Rudy (54%)
2. We Are Marshall (24%)
3. Other (13%)
4. The Program (6%)
5. Knute Rockne: All-American (3%)
Total votes at MovieTickets.com: 24,566
That’s it.
