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.

Homecoming 2009 - Iowa v Michigan

For some reason when Michigan comes to Iowa City for a football game, the attention is unmatched. There is a special feeling in the air that doesn't associate with Ohio State or Iowa State. Perhaps it goes back to the classic battle of #1 v #2 in 1985 where the Hawkeyes won 12-10 on a Rob Houghtlin field goal with :02 to play.

This year's game was not only Homecoming, but it was also one of the few prime time contests in the History of Kinnick Stadium. It was also televised to a national television audience on ABC. Tickets for the game were going for over $300. A capacity crowd showed up on an October night that felt more like late November. Temperatures at kick-off was 30 degrees with a 24 degree wind chill.

Here the Iowa Video Staff takes a moment for a photo with ABC's lead College Football Play by Play man, Brent Musberger.
Saturday Night College Football on ABC means something special. Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit, the network's elite crew, was on hand.

A tradition that began less than ten years ago is the University of Iowa Alumni Band performing the pre-game routine. It is much like riding a bicycle for most of these aging performers as the show hasn't changed much over the last 25 years.

Michigan Video Coordinator, Phil Bromley (front center) and XOS Employees Joe Marinaro (back center) and John Mills (right) join me in the booth. Phil types in statistical information for the Wolverines while his assistant Kevin shoots the wide angle. Joe and John were in town to observe the in-game work flow, but most importantly to watch Joe's alma mater (Michigan) battle the Hawkeyes.

Amid a "BlackOut," the Hawkeyes take the field.



The team enters to AC/DC's "Back in Black." This has become a staple of the Kinnick Stadium experience.

College Football Week 4

While many top 20 teams continue to fall, the ladies of Alabama support the Crimson Tide as they continue to stay in the top 5. Alabama has proven to be worthy of their ranking. However Florida and Texas are my two teams that may find themselves being knocked off in the within the next three weeks. Florida must play at LSU in two weeks while Texas takes on Oklahoma in the Red River ShootOut in three weeks.

Talk in the press box following the Hawkeye upset of Penn State focused on ABC's decision to carry the Iowa - Michigan game on the 10th. Other options for the prime time game that week include Baylor at Oklahoma as well as Florida at LSU. However CBS has the first option for the SEC showdown, and if they pass, the broadcast would move to ESPN as ABC cannot show an SEC game in prime time. If that game does appear on cable the broadcast team of Musberger and Herbstreit will be live in Baton Rouge. However a matchup of undefeateds in Iowa City would be tough for ABC to pass up.

A score that went with little notice over the weekend had Idaho beating Northern Illinois in Dekalb. This is the same NIU team which upset Purdue the week before and pushed Wisconsin to the final minute. Idaho moves to 3-1 in the WAC and makes a statement for the improved football competition in the non-BCS conference. A potential key match-up comes in the second to last game of the season when the Vandals travel to Boise to take on the top 10 Broncos.

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.

Hawks Upset #5 Penn State

A bit late on posting, but still worth seeing. The scoreboard reflected the outcome of the game for a few short minutes following the Hawkeye upset of Penn State Saturday night. Iowa fans could revel in it for a short time before the Nittany Lion staff turned off the lights on a White Out at Beaver Stadium. The win was the 7th in the last 8 for the Hawkeyes over Joe Paterno's club. Iowa currently ranks #13 in the AP / Writers poll while the Coaches have the Hawks at 17. Next week is a non-conference match-up with the Arkansas State Red Wolves out of the Sun Belt Conference. It will be on ESPN2 at 11am. Word from ABC workers leaving the Beaver Stadium Press Box Saturday night suggested Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit may be calling the Iowa - Michigan game on the 10th from Kinnick Stadium.

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)