Iowa's Win over Michigan

The win by Iowa over Michigan put the Hawkeyes in control of their destiny to reach the inaugural Big Ten Title Game. Before we look toward the next three games on the Hawkeye schedule, here is the Michigan weekend in pictures.

Iowa's Honorary Captain was Tim Dwight. Dwight a local standout at Iowa City High School and stayed in town to play his college ball for the Hawkeyes. After graduating in 1997 Dwight spent nearly ten years in the NFL with teams such as the San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons and New York Jets. With the Falcons Dwight returned a kick off for a touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIII.

The Hawkeyes used its ESPN nationally televised appearance to honor America and those who served for their country by modifying the traditional Tiger Hawk on the team's helmet. The "Stars and Striped" version of the Tiger Hawk had been in the works for weeks and on display six days prior to Veterans Day.

There are only a few that have been in the conference as long as I have. Phil Bromley (middle) has been Michigan's Video Coordinator since 1989. His assistant, Kevin Undeen shoots the games while Phil begins the breakdown process after the first quarter.

With the Big Ten Network all of Iowa's games will be televised. However this was the first trip for ESPN to Kinnick Stadium this year. Dave Pasch (blocked) and Chris Spielman (pictured) called their second Iowa game of the season. This crew also worked the Iowa Penn State game in October with former Florida Head Coach, Urban Meyer. Meyer did not make the trip to Iowa City as he worked College Football Game Day in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

And Bob Brooks stands next to his plaque in the Kinnick Stadium Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Another crew asked for pictures of Brooks next to his award and I decided it also needed to be posted here. Brooks has been active with the Hawkeyes since Nile Kinnick and has seen everything on the high school level as long. Brooks now reports for KMRY in Cedar Rapids.

The Drive to the National Championship in Iowa City

ESPN, partnered with Direct TV provides the Drive for the National Championship Bus. Today it stopped in Iowa City, Iowa.

The bus travels around the country covering college football. Other stops this week were Columbus, OH, Columbia, MO and following today's stop will be Lincoln, NE for this weekend's Texas - Nebraska Big XII match-up.

Coaches and players sit in the studio (see below) and are interviewed by members of the ESPN College Football Live show. Today Kirk Ferentz stepped into the seat for the interview to be seen today at 2:30 (CT).

A small studio is set up in the back with many monitors that can show the many different college football games every Saturday. A tiny remote camera faces the coach or player who sits in the gray chair below. The large monitor in the back shows playback of the interview.

A small dubbing station is set up to allow for any production needs the two-man crew may encounter.

Julian Vandervelde to Appear on ESPN College Game Day

A production crew was in Iowa City parts of the last week shooting a feature for the popular Saturday morning ESPN College Game Day on Julian Vandervelde. Vandervelde, a starting offensive lineman on the Iowa Football team, also is known for his singing talents. As a freshman he took part of a talent show put on by the Alamo Bowl, and his performance brought his own team members as well as that of the opposing Texas Longhorns to their feet. This past spring he also provided musical entertainment when the President of the United States made an appearance on the University of Iowa campus.

Vandervelde's segment is scheduled to appear around 10am.

UPDATE: THE CURRENT SCHEDULE HAS JULIAN TO APPEAR AROUND 9:30am

College Football Preview

The adjacent picture is the right way to start of the season. ESPN College Football analyst, Kirk Herbstreit is joined by members of the Alabama Crimson Tide Cheerleading squad as the 2010 season gets underway this Thursday night. Although not a premier weekend to get it started, a few good games will garner the interest of the fans nation wide. Of course the ESPN Thursday night broadcast will once again present South Carolina, this year taking on Southern Mississippi. From one USC to another, the Trojans of Southern California follow with a trip to Hawaii. On Friday another Pac-10 team, Arizona travels to a non-BCS school, Toledo. Saturday brings a very intriguing match-up as Randy Edsall's UConn Huskies travel to the Big House to face Michigan. Then two games round out the weekend with major BCS implications. Saturday night Oregon State takes on TCU in the Horned Frogs back yard of Arlington. On Monday Boise State takes on Virginia Tech in Washington D.C.

A few observations as we enter week 1:

• There is much pressure on Virginia Tech to prove Boise State does not belong among the nation's elite. When Boise State defeated Oklahoma in the 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the Broncos had over a month to prepare. This time BSU has had over seven months to come up with a few new wrinkles for the Hokies.
• Rich Rodriguez would definitely like to start the 2010 season with an opponent easier than that of UConn. The Huskies played the end of 2009 determined and focused. Will that carry over to the season opener? Meanwhile if there is a must-win for the Wolverines, this would be it. Michigan cannot afford to travel to Notre Dame in a week looking for their first win.
• How different will the Big Ten look in one year when Nebraska joins? There are two names that consistently appear on every one's "Hot Seat" lists. They are Rich Rodriguez and Illinois' Ron Zook. However how safe are Minnesota's Tim Brewster and Indiana's Bill Lynch? The Big Ten has eight bowl tie-ins entering 2010. Will making a lower-tier bowl game be enough to keep any of these coaches from leaving their school?
• Texas has already named Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp as the Head Coach in waiting--waiting for Mack Brown to step down. It seems Brown has spent more time in ESPN's Bristol's studios this off-season than on the recruiting trail. Has he been auditioning for the ESPN Game Day job currently held by Lee Corso? Corso suffered a mild stroke prior in the spring of 2009, causing his workload to be lessened. I believe it is a matter of when, rather than if.
• Finally, what is the likelihood the popular ESPN College Game Day makes an early visit to Iowa City? The Hawkeye's game with Penn State has already been slated for 7pm. However there are a list of quality games on the schedule that day. Among them are Oklahoma - Texas, Florida - Alabama, and Stanford - Oregon. ESPN likes to schedule its pre game shows at games of teams with near perfect records. With Penn State making a trip to Alabama in week two, ESPN may find themselves sending Fowler, Corso and Herbstreit elsewhere. But Iowa fans shouldn't be frustrated as it may mean more to have the show on the shadows of the Pentacrest when Ohio State travels to Iowa City on November 20.

Iowa - Penn State: Game Time

Game time arrives and coaches, players and staff arrive at Beaver Stadium. Here Iowa Equipment Manager Greg Morriss meets Head Football Coach, Kirk Ferentz and escorts him to the locker room as ABC cameraman follows him in. Team buses typically arrive to any stadium two hours prior to kick off.

Despite the rain, Penn State fans turn out to tailgate. This photo was taken over three hours before kick off

Beginning about seven hours prior to kick off, rain fell upon the State College area, hard at times. Since the Friday walk thru the Beaver Stadium turf had been covered. Known throughout the country as one of the best playing surfaces, the crew went to work to make the field playable.Ninety minutes prior to kick off the tarp finally came off. Drains surround the crowned field. The only casulty was the Blue and White Marching Band that was not allowed to perform.

ESPN on ABC announcer Kirk Herbstreit prepares for his on-air assignment during the ESPN College Game Day Scoreboard which preceedes the night's broadcast. Due to the rain his on-air partners from earlier in the day did not join him.

Self named the Best Student Section in the Country, fans were asked to wear white and make Beaver Stadium the "White House." By far one of the best game day atmospheres I've been apart of, following an early PSU TD, the students created more noise than I remember for an outdoor stadium. All fans began jumping up and down at the time making the press box shake.

At the end of the day it wasn't a white out, rather a sea of black and gold bumble bees as the Hawkeyes were victorious over the #5 team in the nation.

Iowa - Penn State: ESPN College Game Day

Weekly the ESPN College Game Day Crew travels the country to produce their show live from the sites of the nation's top games. This week GameDay travelled to State College to promote its prime time battle between Iowa and Penn State.

A large turnout on many college campuses, the Game Day set was across the street from Beaver Stadium and its large parking lots.

The on-air talent consists of many former Big Ten players and coaches. Former Michigan Defensive Back Desmond Howard, Ohio State Quarterback Kirk Herbstreit, and Indiana Head Coach Lee Corso join host Chris Fowler.

Fowler does a fine job in relating to the college "frat" crowd. Prior to going on-air he explains what the show entails and his expectations to keeping it orderly. To get a charge out of the predominately Nittany Lion crowd he points out the lack of black and gold in the crowd, the least of any opponent on this year's tour. The blue and white fans loved hearing that.

Popular in the Game Day audience is the travelling Washington State flag. It is in the crowd at every Game Day location.

Signs abound in the background of the Game Day set. Among those seen on Saturday were, "Erin Andrews for Heisman," "Stanzi is a Panzy," and "Stanzi listens to Hannah Montana." ESPN encourages those signs as long as they are in good taste and clean. Title sponsor of the Game Day crew, Home Depot sets up a tent where fans are able to create their own signs.

ESPN GameDay in State College

ESPN's College Game Day is heading to State College, PA for the Big Ten showdown between Iowa and Penn State. Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard will broadcast their show live from 9am - 11am on Saturday, September 26.

(Photo Courtesy Cedar Rapids Gazette)