Monday, November 24, 2014
- Rivalry Week including Auburn-Alabma, Oregon-Oregon State, Florida-Florida State & Michigan-Ohio State
- ESPN’s College GameDay Heads to Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl
- SEC Network to Simulcast Iron Bowl with Finebaum Viewing Option; Airs SEC Nation live from the Egg Bowl
- NCAA Division I Football Championship Begins Saturday
- ESPNU: The Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special to be Televised on Tuesday
- ESPN Radio: Three Games, including Pac-12 Showdown Featuring No. 9 UCLA
- ESPNU Road Trip Spent the Weekend in Stark Vegas for Vanderbilt at No. 4 Mississippi State
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Rivalry Week including Auburn-Alabama, Oregon-Oregon State, Florida-Florida State & Michigan-Ohio
Note: Release includes College Football Playoff Rankings released on November 18
contact: michael.c.humes@espn.com
ESPN’s college football game schedule for this week will include eight of the top 11 teams in the College Football Playoff rankings and many of the sport’s top rivalries. Highlights for Saturday, Nov. 29:
- ESPN and ABC will combine to televise the top three teams against in-state rivals highlighted by prime time coverage of No. 1 Alabama against No. 14 Auburn in the Iron Bowl on ESPN at 7:45 p.m. ET and No. 2 Oregon at Oregon State on ABC at 8 p.m. ESPN will also televise undefeated No. 3 Florida State against Florida at 3:30 p.m.
- The afternoon schedule on ABC will include No. 6 Ohio State against rival Michigan at noon, and a split national telecast, with reverse mirror coverage on ESPN2, of No. 7 Baylor at Texas Tech and No. 11 Michigan State at Penn State at 3:30 p.m.
- The noon lineup will be highlighted by No. 10 Georgia against No. 18 Georgia Tech on SEC Network and No. 22 Clemson against South Carolina on ESPN.
Full Schedule: https://es.pn/1rksLTs
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ESPN’s College GameDay Heads to Tuscaloosa for the Iron Bowl
contact: Rachel.M.Siegal@ESPN.com
ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot – college football’s longest-running and most-celebrated pregame show – will make its 10th visit to Tuscaloosa, Ala., ahead of the Iron Bowl between CFB-ranked No. 14 Auburn and No. 1 Alabama. The weekly three-hour Emmy Award-winning show (Saturday 9 a.m. – noon ET) will originate from outside Bryant-Denny Stadium on the campus of the University of Alabama.
Hosted by Chris Fowler, the GameDay team consists of analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and David Pollack with reporting by Samantha Ponder,Tom Rinaldi, Scott Van Pelt, George Whitfield and Gene Wojciechowski.
Brent Musburger and Jesse Palmer, with Maria Taylor reporting, will call the Auburn at Alabama game on ESPN (Saturday, 7:45 p.m.).
College GameDay nuggets:
- This is the sixth Iron Bowl College GameDay has attended – but the first in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has won three of the previous five meetings. Lee has picked Alabama three times in headgear games at the Iron Bowl (2-1).
- This is the 32nd time College GameDay has been at the site of an Alabama game. The Tide is 20-11 with the show in town.
- This is the 17th time College GameDay has been at the site of an Auburn game. The Tigers are 8-8 in the previous 16.
- Lee Corso is 9-5 when picking Auburn games. He is 4-2 when picking Auburn and 5-3 when picking against Auburn. Corso correctly picked Mississippi State to beat Auburn earlier this year.
Full Release: https://es.pn/1xOs7nm
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SEC Network to Simulcast Iron Bowl with Finebaum Viewing Option; Airs SEC Nation live from the Egg Bowl
contact: gracie.blackburn@espn.com
SEC Network will surround Thanksgiving weekend’s legendary Southeastern Conference rivalry games – the Iron Bowl and the Egg Bowl – with an expanded layer of in-depth studio and live game coverage. In addition to airing Georgia Tech at No. 10 Georgia and Tennessee at Vanderbilt, SEC Network will televise SEC Nation live from Oxford, Miss., the site of the Egg Bowl, and provide an alternate viewing option for the Iron Bowl.
Iron Bowl – No. 14 Auburn at No. 1 Alabama
ESPN will televise the Iron Bowl (Saturday, Nov. 29 at 7:45 p.m. ET) for the first time since 2007 and feature the SEC Network’s lead commentating team of Brent Musburger, analyst Jesse Palmer and reporter Maria Taylor.
SEC Network will carry a complimentary viewing option to ESPN’s game coverage in which Paul Finebaum watches the game with analysts in the SEC Network studios as it plays out. Finebaum Film Room: Iron Bowl Live begins at 7 p.m. and will include analysts Marcus Spears, Greg McElroy, Cole Cubelic and Booger McFarland discussing the game and breaking down plays.
The simulcast will also gauge fan reaction with live callers, a trademark of The Paul Finebaum Show that has cemented him as an integral player in the Alabama vs. Auburn rivalry.
Egg Bowl – No. 4 Miss State at No. 8 Ole Miss
SEC Nation will preview a full day of SEC football with on-site coverage of the scene in Oxford, Ms., prior to the Top 10 matchup of No. 4 Mississippi State at No. 8 Ole Miss. The two-hour pregame show will be live from The Grove 9-11 a.m. CT/10-noon ET with its full slate of SEC experts: Tim Tebow, Marcus Spears and Paul Finebaum alongside host Joe Tessitore and reporter Kaylee Hartung. This will mark the traveling pregame show’s second trip to The Grove this season.
SEC Network schedule highlights:
| Date | Time (ET) | Telecast/Commentators |
| Sat, Nov. 29 | 10 a.m. | SEC Nation Joe Tessitore, Tim Tebow, Marcus Spears, Paul Finebaum & Kaylee Hartung |
| Noon | Georgia Tech at No. 10 Georgia Dave Neal, Andre Ware & Laura Rutledge |
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| 4 p.m. | Tennessee at Vanderbilt Tom Hart, Matt Stinchcomb & Heather Mitts |
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| 7 p.m. | Finebaum Film Room: Iron Bowl Live No. 14 Auburn at No. 1 Alabama Paul Finebaum, Greg McElroy, Cole Cubelic, Marcus Spears, Booger McFarland |
*Rankings as of Nov. 18
Full Release: https://es.pn/1AILIaR
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NCAA Division I Football Championship Begins Saturday
contact: michael.c.humes@espn.com
ESPN will continue its extensive season-long coverage of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) – nearly 200 games involving more than 90 FCS programs – with every game of the NCAA Division I Football Championship. Action will begin Saturday, Nov. 29, with all eight first-round games on ESPN3.
Second-round games Saturday, Dec. 6, will originate from the campus of the top eight seeds and be carried on ESPN3. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 will combine to carry the quarterfinals (Dec. 12-13), semifinals (Dec. 19-20) and Championship from Frisco, Texas (January 10).
ESPN NCAA Division I Football Championship First-Round and Second-Round Schedule
Schedule subject to change
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup/Commentator | Network |
| Sat, Nov 29 | Noon | First Round: Sacred Heart at Fordham Bob Picozzi & Matt Chatham |
ESPN3 |
| 1 p.m. | First Round: Indiana State at Eastern Kentucky Michael Reghi & Dustin Fox |
ESPN3 | |
| 1 p.m. | First Round: Morgan State at Richmond Roy Philpott & Darius Walker |
ESPN3 | |
| 2 p.m. | First Round: Southeastern Louisiana at Sam Houston State Drew Fellios & Forrest Conoly |
ESPN3 | |
| 4 p.m. | First Round: San Diego at Montana Jim Barbar & Jay Walker |
ESPN3 | |
| 4 p.m. | First Round: South Dakota State at Montana State Trey Bender & Jay Taylor |
ESPN3 | |
| 4 p.m. | First Round: Liberty at James Madison Dave Weekley & John Gregory |
ESPN3 | |
| 8 p.m. | First Round: Stephen F. Austin at Northern Iowa Shawn Kenney & Al Groh |
ESPN3 | |
| Sat, Dec 6 | 1 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 1 New Hampshire | ESPN3 |
| 1 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 8 Chattanooga | ESPN3 | |
| 1 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 7 Coastal Carolina | ESPN3 | |
| 2 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 3 Jacksonville State | ESPN3 | |
| 2 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 5 Illinois State | ESPN3 | |
| 3:30 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 2 North Dakota State | ESPN3 | |
| 4:30 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 4 Eastern Washington | ESPN3 | |
| 4:30 p.m. | Second Round: TBD at No. 6 Villanova | ESPN3 |
Full Release: https://es.pn/11rgSVc
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ESPNU: The Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special to be Televised on Tuesday
contact: Derek.Volner@ESPN.com
The Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special will be televised on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 6 p.m. on ESPNU. The 30-minute special will announce the finalists for the nine National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) awards which are to be presented at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The Nomination Special, hosted by Brendan Fitzgerald, will include analysis from Kevin Carter.
The finalists for the following awards will be announced on Tuesday:
- Chuck Bednarik Award for the defensive player of the year
- Biletnikoff Award for the outstanding receiver
- Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award
- Ray Guy Award for punter of the year
- Maxell Award for player of the year
- Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award
- Outland Trophy for nation’s most outstanding interior lineman
- Jim Thorpe Award for best defensive back
- Doak Walker Award for premier running back
Full Release: https://es.pn/1xOsMoQ
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ESPN Radio: Three Games including Pac-12 Showdown Featuring No. 9 UCLA
contact: tara.c.chozet@espn.com
ESPN Radio will have three matchups involving Top 20 teams this weekend, beginning Friday, Nov. 28, at 3 p.m. with a Pac-12 contest between Stanford and No. 9 UCLA. Bill Rosinski and David Norrie will call the game with reporter Joe Schad. On Saturday, Nov. 29, a doubleheader starts with Michigan at No. 6 Ohio State at 11:30 a.m. with Marc Kestecher, Tom Ramsey and Quint Kessenich describing the action. At 3 p.m., No. 19 USC will host Notre Dame, with Rosinski, Norrie and Schad on the call. Also, ESPN Radio’s College GameDay, will broadcast live noon- 7 p.m. Saturday with host Matt Barrie and analysts Brad Edwards and Trevor Matich.
Full Release: https://es.pn/11QCn1C
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ESPNU Road Trip Spent the Weekend in Stark Vegas for Vanderbilt at No. 4 Mississippi State
contact: Derek.Volner@ESPN.com
ESPNU Road Trip (Wednesday, Nov 26, at 9:30 p.m. E.T.) traveled to Starkville, Miss., nicknamed Stark Vegas, this past weekend for a SEC battle between Vanderbilt and No. 4 Mississippi State
Highlights include:
- Heisman Hopeful: Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott explains how he breaks down film and tries to gain an advantage on the opponent.
- More Cowbell: Learn about the great, loud tradition of the Mississippi State cowbell by making cowbells with the owner of Bully Bells, Marc Anthony.
- Take a Ride: Sit with head coach Dan Mullen as he commutes to his weekly radio show and learn what his game day rituals are.
- A Safer Future: Go inside Mississippi State’s engineering department to learn about the research they are conducting on the development of the next generation of football helmets.
- Land Grab: Learn about one of the traditions that make Saturdays in Starkville so fun
- Game Day: Tailgating at the Junction, the Dawg Walk, and hangng with Bully, the school’s mascot, as the Bulldogs keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive.
Full Release: https://es.pn/1rkK9HP