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ABC, along with the Worldwide Leader in Sports, ESPN, recently announced its college football national TV slate for the season and it’s loaded with plenty of big games from what promises to be another thrilling season. Most of the nation’s top teams will be on the networks at one time or another, and if not, you will surely find them on CBS, FOX, or even Versus. Here’s a look at the ABC/ESPN schedule along with a few comments of some of the games. Be sure to stay tuned to the site for more season preview info to come, plus info on how you can get your hands on this year’s StatFox Edge Football Annual, due out at the beginning of January! Date: Game (Time, Network)
Thu., Sept. 3: South Carolina at NC State (7 or 7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Thu., Sept. 3: Oregon at Boise State (10:15 p.m., ESPN)
* Everyone’s favorite BCS-party crasher, Boise State, could see its hopes end early this season, as the high-powered Ducks visit the Smurf Turf.
Fri., Sept. 4: Tulsa at Tulane (8 p.m., ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 5: Missouri vs. Illinois (3:40 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2)
Sat., Sept. 5: Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (8 p.m., ABC)
* Nick Saban’s Alabama team laid down in each of its last two games after an unbeaten regular season. Expectations are again high, but this trip to Blacksburg is a difficult season opener.
Sat., Sept. 5: Maryland at California (10 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Sept. 5: LSU at Washington (10:30 p.m., ESPN)
* Washington may have been the country’s worst BCS-league football school in 2008. This season doesn’t figure to start well vs. the powerful LSU Tigers.
Sun., Sept. 6: Grambling St. vs. South Carolina St. (2 p.m., ESPN2)
Sun., Sept. 6: Ole Miss at Memphis (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Mon., Sept. 7: Cincinnati at Rutgers (4 p.m., ESPN)
* Big East play is in full swing already on Labor Day, with defending league champ Cincinnati opening its season on the road at Rutgers.
Mon., Sept. 7: Miami at Florida State (8 p.m., ESPN)
* This rivalry used to come with much bigger implications, still the teams don’t like each other and it makes for an exciting holiday showdown.
Thu., Sept. 10: Clemson at Georgia Tech (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Sept. 11: Colorado at Toledo (9 p.m., ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 12: BYU at Tulane (3:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Sept. 12: USC at Ohio State (8 p.m., ESPN)
* The biggest early season game on the slate, Ohio State looks to avenge last season’s rout in Los Angeles when it welcomes the highly touted USC Trojans to Columbus.
Thu., Sept. 17: Georgia Tech at Miami (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Sept. 18: Boise State at Fresno State (9 p.m., ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 19: USC at Washington (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Sat., Sept. 19: Utah at Oregon (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
* Utah, the defending Mountain West & Sugar Bowl champs, face a tough early season test in one of college football’s toughest environments.
Sat., Sept. 19: Texas Tech at Texas (8 p.m., ABC)
* Texas Tech & Texas played one of the most exciting games of the ’08 season, with the Red Raiders winning on Michael Crabtree’s last second TD catch. The rematch is September 19th in Austin.
Thu., Sept. 24: Ole Miss at South Carolina (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Sept. 25: Missouri at Nevada (9 p.m., ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 26: California at Oregon (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Sat., Sept. 26: Notre Dame at Purdue (8 p.m., ABC or ESPN)
* Expectations are high in South Bend after last year’s Hawaii Bowl winning season. This trip to Purdue might be the toughest early test for the Irish.
Sat., Sept. 26: Iowa at Penn State (8 p.m., ABC or ESPN)
Sat., Sept. 26: Texas Tech at Houston (9:15 p.m., ESPN2)
Wed., Sept. 30: Hawaii at Louisiana Tech (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Thu., Oct. 1: Colorado at West Virginia (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Oct. 2: Pittsburgh at Louisville (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Oct. 3: USC at California (8 p.m., ABC)
* California figures to be one of the few Pac 10 clubs capable of giving USC a run in ’09, especially with RB Jahvid Best putting his speed up against the Trojans defense.
Tue., Oct. 6: Middle Tennessee at Troy (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Thu., Oct. 8: Nebraska at Missouri (9 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Oct. 9: Louisiana Tech at Nevada (9 p.m., ESPN)
Sat., Oct. 10: Michigan at Iowa (8 p.m., ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Tue., Oct. 13: Arkansas State at Louisiana-Monroe (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Wed., Oct. 14: Boise State at Tulsa (8 p.m., ESPN)
* This mid-week non-conference clash figures to be an entertaining one, as both Boise State and Tulsa are capable of putting up big points.
Thu., Oct. 15: Cincinnati at South Florida (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Oct. 16: Pittsburgh at Rutgers (8 p.m., ESPN)
Wed., Oct. 21: Tulsa at UTEP (8 p.m., ESPN)
Thu., Oct. 22: Florida State at North Carolina (8 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Oct. 23: Rutgers at Army (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Oct. 24: Oregon State at USC (8 p.m., ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Tue., Oct. 27: East Carolina at Memphis (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Thu., Oct. 29: North Carolina at Virginia Tech (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Oct. 30: West Virginia at South Florida (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Oct. 31: Penn State at Northwestern (4:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2)
Sat., Oct. 31: USC at Oregon (8 p.m., ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
* Perhaps the Game of the Year in the Pac 10 Conference. USC is ranked #4 in the StatFox Preseason Top 25, Oregon is #8. The Ducks hope to take full advantage of the home field.
Sun., Nov. 1: Marshall at UCF (8:15 p.m., ESPN)
Tue., Nov. 3: Bowling Green at Buffalo (7 p.m., ESPN2)
Thu., Nov. 5: Virginia Tech at East Carolina (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
* This non-conference tilt doesn’t figure to excite the average Joe, but college football enthusiasts will recognize the magnitude of the contest. Not only do both teams being the year in the StatFox Top 15, but the rivalry is growing year by year.
Fri., Nov. 6: Boise State at Louisiana Tech (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 7: USC at Arizona State (8 p.m., ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Sun., Nov. 8: Nevada at San Jose State (8:15 p.m., ESPN)
Tue., Nov. 10: Ohio at Buffalo (7 p.m., ESPN2)
Wed., Nov. 11: Toledo at Central Michigan (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Thu., Nov. 12: South Florida at Rutgers (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Nov. 13: West Virginia at Cincinnati (8 p.m., ESPN2)
* Cincinnati is the defending Big East champ and the highest ranked team from that league in the StatFox Preseason Top 25. West Virginia is usually that team. Enough said.
Sat., Nov. 14: Notre Dame at Pittsburgh (TBD, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Sun., Nov. 15: East Carolina at Tulsa (8:15 p.m., ESPN)
* A rematch of the 2008 Conference USA title game won 27-24 by heavy underdog East Carolina on the road. Tulsa gets another shot at the Pirates, again at home.
Wed., Nov. 18: Central Michigan at Ball State (6 or 8 p.m., ESPNU or ESPN2)
Wed., Nov. 18: Buffalo at Miami (Ohio) (6 or 8 p.m., ESPNU or ESPN2)
Thu., Nov. 19: Colorado at Oklahoma State (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Nov. 20: Boise State at Utah State (9:30 p.m., ESPN2)
Tue., Nov. 24: Ball State at Western Michigan (7 p.m., ESPN2)
Thu., Nov. 26: Texas at Texas A&M (8 p.m., ESPN)
* The Thanksgiving Night continuation of one of college football’s biggest rivalries, Texas travels to College Station to take on the Aggies and the “12th Man”.
Fri., Nov. 27: Nebraska at Colorado (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Fri., Nov. 27: Rutgers at Louisville (TBD, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Fri., Nov. 27: Illinois at Cincinnati (TBD, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Fri., Nov. 27: Nevada at Boise State (TBD, ESPN2)
* Most experts agree that Nevada is the one team in the WAC capable of giving Boise State a run for the league crown. The last time these teams met in Boise, the Broncos won 69-67.
Fri., Nov. 27: Pittsburgh at West Virginia (TBD, ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2)
* The Backyard Brawl. That’s all you need to know.
Sat., Nov. 28: Notre Dame at Stanford (8 p.m., ABC)
Thu., Dec. 3: Oregon State at Oregon (9 p.m., ESPN)
Fri., Dec. 4: Marathon MAC Championship Game (8 p.m., ESPN2)
Sat., Dec. 5: Arizona at USC (3:30 p.m., ABC)
Sat., Dec. 5: Wisconsin at Hawaii (TBD, ESPN or ESPN2)
Sat., Dec. 5: South Florida at Connecticut (TBD, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Sat., Dec. 5: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (TBD, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
* The Big East tries to steal the thunder from the leagues that host championship games on December 5th with its own full slate of games. Cincy visiting Pitt figures to be the biggest of those season ending contests.
Sat., Dec. 5: West Virginia at Rutgers (TBD, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2)
Sat., Dec. 5: C-USA Championship Game (TBD, ESPN or ESPN2)
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