Prayers answered. Wishes granted. The wait is over...college football is here. (Thursday Night OPEN Thread)
Technically Georgia State played last night, but the real college football starts tonight. 4 hours until kickoff...plenty of pregame coverage...time to discuss. It's go time!
Here's the lineup:
| Thursday, August 28 | ||
| TIME (ET) | MATCHUP | TV |
| 6:00 PM | No. 21 Texas A&M at No. 9 South Carolina |
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| 7:00 PM | Wake Forest at Louisiana-Monroe |
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| 7:00 PM | Eastern Illinois at Minnesota | BTN |
| 7:00 PM | Howard at Akron |
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| 7:00 PM | Presbyterian at Northern Illinois |
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| 7:00 PM | Chattanooga at Central Michigan |
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| 7:30 PM | Idaho State at Utah | Pac-12 Network |
| 8:00 PM | Boise State vs. No. 18 Ole Miss* |
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| 8:00 PM | Cal Poly at New Mexico State |
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| 8:00 PM | Tulane at Tulsa | CBS Sports Network |
| 9:15 PM | Temple at Vanderbilt |
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| 10:00 PM | Rutgers at Washington State | FOX Sports 1 |
| 10:00 PM | North Dakota at San Jose State |
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| 10:30 PM | Weber State at No. 19 Arizona State | Pac-12 Network |
August 28th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
...well, all of them. But in particular.
PSU vs. UCF
OSU vs. Navy
App St. vs. Michigan
WVU vs. Alabama
SDSU vs. Mizzou
JMU vs. Maryland
Arkansas vs. Auburn
W&M vs. VT
Clemson vs. UGA
Liberty vs. UNC
FSU vs. Okla. St.
Wisc vs. LSU
Miami vs. Louisville
August 28th, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
App State vs. Michigan is an easy game for the college football world to ignore.
That's a good thing this week. If we get a decent lead early so that there are not many reports about it during other games, most people won't even know it occured.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:52 PM ^
We aren't competing with much as far as most watched game in the noon hour, but I'm assuming Beth Mowins will be enough to push Navy vs Ohio State as the most watched noon game. That's a game with actual storylines: Braxton out, Navy pretty good, Urban Meyer. All we have to sell is the Michigan brand seeing as how no one in America has even heard of a little school like "Appalachian State." /s
August 28th, 2014 at 2:19 PM ^
Not sure why ESPN needed to add a FIFTH channel to slobber all over the SEC. Pretty sure the other four were doing a fine enough job.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
Don't forget the SEC overflow channels like the B1G has. They'll be slobbering over the SEC on 10 different channels by the time they are done.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^
For the Big Ten teams playing tonight -
Rutgers is only getting 20% for a projected win probability against the Air Raid: Part III with a projected median score of 37-24. Minnesota, on the other hand, is getting 66% against Eastern Illinois with a projected median score of 34-28.
For the inaugural game for the SEC Network, South Carolina is the favorite in this one - 62% projected win probability for that one.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^
got my cable and TV upgraded today...footBALLLLLLLLLING
August 28th, 2014 at 2:27 PM ^
FWIW, the Cocks are 10.5 favorites over the Aggies and the Rebels are 10.5 point favorites over the Broncos.
Oh, and I guess since B1G, the Golden Gophers are 15 point favorites over the Panthers.
Happy betting.
EDIT: Holy guacamole, I guess Rutgers is B1G too huh?...
The Scarlet Knights are 8 point underdogs to the Cougars.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
| MATCHUP |
| No. 21 Texas A&M at No. 9 South Carolina |
| Wake Forest at Louisiana-Monroe |
| Eastern Illinois at Minnesota |
| Howard at Akron |
| Presbyterian at Northern Illinois |
| Chattanooga at Central Michigan |
| Idaho State at Utah |
| Boise State vs. No. 18 Ole Miss* |
| Cal Poly at New Mexico State |
| Tulane at Tulsa |
| Temple at Vanderbilt |
| Rutgers at Washington State |
| North Dakota at San Jose State |
| Weber State at No. 19 Arizona State |
Chattanoga, Tulsa and Wazzou are the 3 I'm least confident about...
August 28th, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^
Pretty balsy on the Eastern Illinois over Minnesota pick. I probably would have thought the same thing but then I saw the points Vegas is giving them. Maybe Minnesota is alright this year.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
...last year I started the year like 6 or 7-0 with my FCS upsets. I looked like a genius but people don't realize how good the top 15 of FCS is. Unfortunately as a Michigan fan...I do.
It's an easy way to look smart around your friends who pick upsets just based on the name or whatever they use as a deciding factor. Top 15 FCS teams are traditionally VERY good football teams. I'll always take them over traditionally bad FBS teams.
So if you look at my FCS upsets from above, I believe all of those teams are ranked. So Eastern Illinois it is! (Even though I do want to see the B1G do well...except for our rivals, I don't care how they do unless it helps Michigan).
August 28th, 2014 at 3:15 PM ^
August 28th, 2014 at 4:01 PM ^
I certainly can't argue it...it's probably not a smart pick, because you're right, they're better than they've been in recent memory. However, the system is the system and if I go 5-1 instead of 6-0 this year, meh, I can live with that.
August 28th, 2014 at 4:06 PM ^
I just proofread and realized I picked TAMU.
Definitely calling for S. Carolina in that one...they're could easily be in the Final 4 this year. I'm sticking with all of my other ones.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:27 PM ^
Oh yeah! Gonna flip between TAMU/SCAR and MINNY/EIU all night.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:28 PM ^
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August 28th, 2014 at 2:29 PM ^
Wow. The OP really wanted to be the guy who created this thread. Either way, I'm so happy to see college footbal open threads again. The off season is so brutal.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^
I just can't focus at work and I wanted to talk about the games tonight...
Trust me, I've created enough threads to worry about being first.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^
I have not paid any attention . . . do you have to do anything special to get the SEC network if you are not in the SEC footprint? Or is ESPN just throwing it out there as yet another channel of theirs?
August 28th, 2014 at 2:40 PM ^
I was curious about this as well. Being in Tennessee, I didn't know if it was only included within the SEC footprint, like how the BTN does it, or if it was included everywhere like another channel.
I put in a bunch of zip codes from around the country to check availability, and it's included everywhere as far as I can tell. So pretty much just another ESPN channel.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
...but it's already available.
If you have ESPNEWS, ESPNU and/or ESPN Classic there's a good chance you'll have it. If you have any type of sports package add on that gives you BTN and the Fox channels then you should have it too.
If you just have ESPN and ESPN2, you may be out of luck.
August 28th, 2014 at 5:22 PM ^
August 28th, 2014 at 2:35 PM ^
I watched some of the game last night between Abiline Christian (*had not heard of this school until last night) and Georgia State. It ended up coming down to a game winning field goal. No defense was played in the game.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^
for inevitable things like the passage of time, but I get your point.
But Awwwwww Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh college football!
August 28th, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^
Anyonone looking to expand their tv lineup (if you have comcast) with a few extra sports channels (including the PAC12 Network and NFL Redzone) it's $4.99/ month for 12 months right now.
I will be enjoying as many games as possible in the next few days
August 28th, 2014 at 2:51 PM ^
Depends where in the country you are. In Virginia, Comcast does not off Pac-12 network at all. Cannot pay for it if I wanted to.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
And I was disappointed to see it only offered in standard definition
August 28th, 2014 at 2:47 PM ^
I'm pretty sad that Brent Musburger (sp?) won't be doing the primetime games anymore on Satruday Nights. Like Keith Jackson, when I heard Brent's voice, you knew it had to be a big game.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:51 PM ^
What's the reason and who is taking over play by play?
August 28th, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
Chris Fowler is pairing with Herbstreit. They're phasing Musburger out and shipping him to SEC Network where he'll pair with Jesse Palmer. Rumblings they were afraid they'd lose Fowler if he didn't get the job sooner than later.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:55 PM ^
I just can't picture Fowler having that classic voice for a big game.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:08 PM ^
Yes, I like Fowler as an analyst but he does not have that booming dramatic voice that says "drop what you are doing and watch this big event". Neither does Herbie.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^
I didnt realize Fowler was such a hot commodity. He seems very interchangeable with a bunch of other monotone people who anchor a desk.
So how will the SEC network work? I assume the top game of each week still goes to CBS at 3:30 PM? Then ABC/ESPN/SEC Network gets the rest of the games?
August 28th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
I'm too slow
August 28th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
Was watching a Spurrier special on "SEC Storied" and it was funny to see some of these folks back in the day, even 20 years ago. You don't realize how ingrained they are into your sports life. Brent was doing prime time bowl games 20-25 years ago. Not sure if he was singling out hot chicks back then to the same degree. Chris Fowler was a bushy eyed sideline reporter - looked 25-26 years old.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:58 PM ^
in the 80's. Musberger has been around a long time.
August 28th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
Brent got pushed to doing the lead games on the SEC Network, and Chris Fowler (the host of College Gameday) will now be doing the lead games with Kirk Herbstreit.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:08 PM ^
Does anyone know what channel the SEC network is on? Dish Network prescriber.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:11 PM ^
Most likely 404, but could also be 596 or 597.
http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/sec-network-channel-listings/ng2MJ/
August 28th, 2014 at 3:19 PM ^
Try 408. I don't have Dish Network, but I googled it.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
I know one thing. I am about to roll myself around in all this HOT COLLEGE FOOTBALL MESS.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^
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August 28th, 2014 at 3:22 PM ^
Quick question as Dish customer I think I have the maximum sports package, will I have the SEC network? Not at home so I can't look
August 28th, 2014 at 4:03 PM ^
It's been on for a couple of weeks, you just probably haven't noticed.
Everyone should have it unless they have basic cable packages and no sports add-on.
If you've got the alternative ESPN's and BTN and the Fox Sports channels, you shouldn't worry.
August 28th, 2014 at 3:50 PM ^
Washington State Rutgers game. I will log my thoughts on Rutgers tomorrow.
August 29th, 2014 at 10:23 AM ^
Rutgers ran all over the Cougs and the Cougs couldnt do a damn thing about it. Terrible defense on both sides of the ball but the QB for Rutgers had some nice throws and was mostly accurate... but again Cougars defense is absolute dog poo. I guess you could say the Rutgers RB was solid but every Cougar player seemed like they just learned how to tackle two hourse before the game.
I am not a fan of these shoot em out games, I live for watching just nasty effing defenses, I hope to the good lord Michigans defense is just mean and full of monsters. I would rather watch a 10-7 game with two ridiculous defenses than a 41 - 38 shoot out with zero defense on both sides.
Cant wait for tomorrow and Hail to the Victors
August 28th, 2014 at 3:51 PM ^
That's all kinds of awesome.
August 28th, 2014 at 4:04 PM ^
That I'm still at work and we're 2 hours from kickoff...
August 28th, 2014 at 4:08 PM ^
Attempted to watch SEC gameday...made it 5 minutes.
August 28th, 2014 at 4:15 PM ^