Less than 24 hours before Missouri and Alabama kick off the 23rd SEC Football Championship Game, the SEC and ESPN celebrated the conclusion of the sports debut regular season on the SEC Network with a panel of network commentators recapping the season and previewing Saturday’s matchup.
“The caliber of programming on SEC Network this fall, which included 48 football games featuring 24 ranked teams was unparalleled for a conference network,” said Justin Connolly, ESPN’s senior vice president of programming for college networks. “The SEC Network will continue to serve as a destination where fans around the country can watch some of the greatest coaches, athletes and football analysts in college sports.”
Stephanie Druley, ESPN’s senior vice president of production for college networks, added, “It’s been incredible to watch the fanbase rally around the SEC Network programming, especially the way SEC Nation was welcomed at every school. It is a true testament to the quality of work the Nation team has produced. The chemistry of this group is a producer’s dream and great for the viewers.”
Joe Tessitore, Marcus Spears, Tim Tebow and Kaylee Hartung from SEC Nation, the network’s traveling pregame show, recapped the season at a press event today. Below is a selection of quotes:
Kaylee Hartung: “The atmosphere at Mississippi State when we went to Starkville for the Texas A&M game was one of the best. It was the same weekend Gameday was at Ole Miss and the opportunity we had, I think, to put the spotlight on the state of Mississippi that weekend was unique, and the crowd that Starkville brought was second to none.”
Joe Tessitore: “It was a year filled with incredible offensive moments, from Gurley and what he did against Clemson and even opening week with Kenny Hill and South Carolina, some of the Arkansas rushing totals and the nonconference game against Texas Tech. Amari Cooper himself in the first quarter alone against Tennessee.”
Tim Tebow: “I think the key for Missouri in this SEC Championship game to beat a team like Alabama is to take shots; your quarterback has to be able to run, and you cannot turn the ball over. Those are the three most important things. And every team that has beaten Alabama since 2008, they’ve done those things.”
Marcus Spears: “Coach Pinkel and Coach Saban, they’re part of the same tree. They understand each other. They understand the adjustments they need to make. Missouri’s best shot is to try to get pressure on Blake Sims up the middle of the pocket, force him into some questionable decisions, and hope that the guys in the secondary can make plays. Offensively, they need to hit explosive plays and try to exploit the edges of Alabama’s defense. For Alabama offensively, get Amari Cooper the football.”
SEC Nation will be live on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 1-4 p.m. ET at SEC FanFare at the Georgia World Congress Center. Tessitore, Spears, Tebow and Paul Finebaum will also report from the sidelines post-game with live interviews and game discussion. Full Details can be found at the ESPN Media Zone.
SEC Network
The Southeastern Conference and ESPN have signed a 20-year agreement through 2034 to create and operate a multiplatform network, which launched August 14, 2014. The new network and its accompanying digital platform will carry SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year. The network will televise 45 SEC football games, more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and events from across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming also includes in-depth commentary and analysis in studio shows, daily news and information, original content such as SEC Storied, spring football games, and more. AT&T U-verse® TV, Bright House Networks, Charter, Comcast Xfinity TV, Cox Communications, DIRECTV, DISH, Google Fiber, LUS Fiber, PTC Communications, Suddenlink, Time Warner Cable, NCTC, NRTC, NTTC and Wilkes Telephone carried the television network nationwide at launch. Hundreds of additional live events from various sports will be offered exclusively as SEC Network+ events on WatchESPN and SECNetwork.com through AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast, Cox, DISH, Google Fiber, Suddenlink, NCTC, NRTC and NTTC authentication.