We have what’s in store for Fox Sports’ cable and broadcast networks this weekend in college football. Of course, it marks the debut of the new pregame show hosted by Erin Andrews with analysts Eddie George and Joey Harrington. Plus Fox will have primetime games throughout the season except during October when it will focus on the National League Championship Series and the World Series.
Let’s take a look at what you’ll see on the Fox Sports Media Group including Fox, Big Ten Network, FX, Fox Sports Net and Fox College Sports. It’s all listed below.
FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
A New Era in College Football Begins Saturday
Andrews, Harrington & George Gets Fans Ready for Kick-Off with FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY at 7:00 PM ET
Johnson & Davis Call FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL Premiere: Hawai’i at No. 1 USCFOX SPORTS KICKS-OFF COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON IN PRIMETIME – All eyes will be on Los Angeles Saturday, Sept. 1 (7:00 PM ET) as FOX Sports kicks-off 13 consecutive weeks of college football action, including 12 primetime games and seven doubleheaders. Expected Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Barkley begins his quest to lead preseason No. 1 USC to a national title when the Trojans host Hawai’i. College Football on FOX’s lead broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson, analyst Charles Davis and reporter Julie Alexandria call the action from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
FOX’s coverage begins with the premiere of FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY. Erin Andrews hosts the new college football pregame show, originating live each week from FOX’s brand new state-of-the-art studio in the FOX Network Center in Los Angeles. Joining Andrews in studio for FOX Sports’ first-ever regular-season over-the-air college football package as analysts are Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George and former Oregon All-American Quarterback Joey Harrington. Additionally, the trio handles all halftime and postgame studio coverage.
Each weekend throughout the college football season, FOX Sports Media Group will also provide a comprehensive schedule of games on its regional sports networks. Action kicks off Saturday, Sept. 1 (12:00 PM ET) with an intense in-state battle as star quarterback Geno Smith attempts to lead No. 11 ranked West Virginia to victory over Marshall on FX. That game marks WVU’s first game as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Other Week 1 games include Troy at UAB (12:00 PM ET) on FCS, Tulsa at Iowa State (3:30 PM ET) on FSN, Oklahoma at UTEP (10:30 PM ET) on FSN and SMU at Baylor Sunday, Sept. 2 (6:30 PM ET) on FSN.
For instant updates during the week and games from the entire CFB on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CFBONFOX. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports.
HARRINGTON, GEORGE & ANDREWS PREVIEW 2012 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON – A new era in college football coverage starts this weekend with the premiere of FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY with host Erin Andrews, Heisman Trophy winner and College Football Hall of Famer Eddie George and former Oregon All-American quarterback Joey Harrington. The new team previewed the FOX College Football season yesterday afternoon. Transcribed highlights are below.
George on who can challenge the SEC for the national title: “Florida State appears loaded. They brought back EJ Manuel and one of the best defenses in the country. They also have the easiest road to get to the championship game. Talented teams like Oklahoma, LSU, Alabama, USC and Oregon are going to have something to say but Florida State has a chance.”
Harrington on the sleeper team in the SEC: “I’m not as high on LSU as everybody else is right now. The quarterback hasn’t played a down of D-1 football yet and they lost their top-two corners. As good as LSU and Alabama were on defense, South Carolina’s defense got completely ignored and were phenomenal. South Carolina is in position to make a splash.”
Harrington on starting a freshman quarterback: “There are two reasons a freshman is going to be playing: one is necessity and two is he’s just that much better. Even if he’s more physically talented than the other guys out there, there’s still going to be struggles. That’s the nature of being a freshman quarterback. The success of the team is going to be dependent on what their supporting cast is. Even with a guy who has that type of understanding of the game of football you’re going to make a lot of mistakes. It’s going to come down to young kid’s ability to bounce back from a bad game, a play of a bad series. I’ve never been in a position of making that decision as a head coach but I wouldn’t choose to play a freshman quarterback unless I really had to. ”
Andrews on her transition from sidelines to studio: “I’ll miss being on campus. I did it for 10 years. I’m a sports fan and who doesn’t love having the best seats in the house right down there on the sidelines? This is another way to become more versatile and I’ll have my opportunities to get out on the field for NFL.”
Andrews on working with Eddie George and Joey Harrington: “The No.1 thing that sold me on this college football show was Eddie and Joey. The second I sat down with those two and started talking college football I was so excited. They live and breathe it. They don’t agree on a lot of things and that will separate our show from a lot of other shows. You don’t want guys that think the same way about teams, players and coaching styles.”
George on managing the game plan with first-year quarterbacks in college football: “First-year quarterbacks play with some excitement and some fear. You’d have to expect the game plans to be simplified and geared to their skill set which puts the onus of winning on the defense. Any team with a first-year quarterback depends heavily on their running game. Speaking with Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy about freshman quarterback Wes Lunt, he agreed with me saying they’re not going to overwhelm him with too much work. Simplify the game plan.”
George on challenges the once dominant Miami Hurricanes face this year: “With the scrutiny they’ve had under the last year and a half, it’s tough for Miami to bring in the same type of talent that they have through the years. It’ll be another year of struggle for them after losing Ray-Ray Armstrong who was a key leader in their secondary. They have a huge question mark at the quarterback position and lost key guys out of the backfield from last year. They’re going to go through their rebuilding phase and they’re right in the middle of that.”
FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
*All Times Eastern
DATE TIME GAME OUTLET Play by Play Analyst Sideline Saturday, Sept. 1 7: 30 PM Hawai’i at USC FOX Gus Johnson Charles Davis Julie Alexandria Saturday, Sept. 1 12:00 PM Miami (Ohio) at Ohio St. BTN Eric Collins Derek Rackley Lisa Byington Saturday, Sept. 1 12:00 PM Troy at UAB FCS Mike Gleason Ben Leber Lesley McCaslin Saturday, Sept. 1 12:00 PM Appalachian St. at East Carolina FSN (National) Ron Thulin Shaun King Desmond Purnell Saturday, Sept. 1 12:00 PM Marshall at West Virginia FX Justin Kutcher Eric Crouch Darius Walker Saturday, Sept. 1 3:00 PM Richmond at Virginia FS South Paul Kennedy Keith Jones Jenn Hildreath Saturday, Sept. 1 3:30 PM Northern Iowa at Wisconsin BTN Kevin Kugler Chris Martin Jay Wilson Saturday, Sept. 1 3:30 PM Eastern Kentucky at Purdue BTN Matt Devlin Glen Mason J Leman Saturday, Sept. 1 3:30 PM Tulsa at Iowa St. FSN (National) Mark Followill Gary Reasons TBA Saturday, Sept. 1 4:00 PM Colorado St. vs. Colorado (From Denver) FX Craig Bolerjack Joel Klatt Petros Papadakis Saturday, Sept. 1 7:00 PM Savannah St. at Oklahoma St. FCS Kevin Eschenfelder ND Kalu Erin Bajackson Saturday, Sept. 1 7:00 PM Northwestern St. at Texas Tech FSSW Plus Bill Land Dave Lapham Emily Jones Saturday, Sept. 1 7:00 PM Jackson St. at Miss St. FS South Bob Rathbun Tim Couch Elizabeth Moreau Saturday, Sept. 1 8:00 PM Indiana State at Indiana BTN Wayne Larrivee Jon Jansen Antwaan Randle El Saturday, Sept. 1 10:30 PM Oklahoma at UTEP FSN (National) Mike Morgan JC Pearson Laura McKeeman Sunday, Sept. 2 6:30 PM SMU at Baylor FSN (National) Joel Meyers Brian Baldinger Jim Knox
There you have it.
