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Originally posted by ragincajun:
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Originally posted by spotupj:
I'm not surprised the two games in ABC primetime (USC/WSU and Iowa/Wisconsin) didn't draw anybody. They may have been better off shipping the ESPN game, Bama/Georgia, to the mother network, or rescheduling Penn St/Michigan into primetime. I think either of those would've helped at least a little bit.
ABC can't show any games where the SEC in the home team. CBS has that contract, and they're only allowed to show one SEC game in primetime (I've heard that they may show the LSU/Florida game in primetime on October 6th). ABC's contract only allows games where the PAC-10 and Big 10 are the home teams.
Below is an excerpt of the ABC press release regarding Saturday Night Football:
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
ABC Television Network
PRESS RELEASE - PRESS RELEASE - ENTERTAINMENT -
SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL WILL RETURN ON ABC
"SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" WILL RETURN ON ABC
12-week Primetime College Football Series Will Include More Six- and 12-Day Picks
Debuts September 1 with Tennessee at California
The 12-week "Saturday Night Football" series, highlighting ABC's 42nd season of extensive college football action, will feature high profile inter-conference match-ups and top conference showdowns involving teams from the
Pac-10, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 and BIG EAST, as well as Notre Dame. Every telecast, beginning September 1 and concluding December 1 with the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship, will kick off at 8:00 p.m., ET and be offered in high definition on ABC HD.
Confirmed "Saturday Night Football" broadcasts include Tennessee at California (September 1), USC at Nebraska (September 15), Washington State at USC & Iowa at Wisconsin (September 22), and Notre Dame at UCLA (October 6). The schedule does not include games on September 8 and October 13, when ESPN on ABC will televise NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races from Richmond and Charlotte, respectively.
Every "Saturday Night Football" window from September 29 to November 24 will feature game selections on a six- or 12-day basis (except Notre Dame at UCLA on October 6), ensuring "Saturday Night Football" will televise the best match-ups available throughout the season. In addition to the confirmed games on the schedule, four Big Ten and three Pac-10 match-ups have been designated for a primetime telecast on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 (specific games in the schedule below). Network assignments for those contests will be determined six or 12 days before the date of the game. The "Saturday Night Football" schedule also provides the flexibility to select the best available games from the Big 12, ACC and BIG EAST on a six- or 12-day basis as the season progresses.
Schedule highlights of announced primetime games (for ABC, ESPN or ESPN2) and available for a "Saturday Night Football" telecast include:
* USC, last year's Rose Bowl winner and a consensus pre-season National Championship contender, will be televised five times -- at Nebraska (Sept. 15 on "Saturday Night Football"), Washington State (Sept. 22 on "Saturday Night Football"), at Washington (Sept. 29), Oregon State (Nov. 3) and at California (Nov. 10).
* Last year's National Championship game participant and defending Big Ten conference champion Ohio State will appear three times -- at Minnesota (Sept. 29), at Purdue (Oct. 6) and at Penn State (Oct. 27).
* Michigan, led by potential Heisman Trophy candidates Mike Hart and Chad Henne, at Big Ten rival Illinois October 20.
* UCLA, which upset USC in last year's final regular-season game, will host Notre Dame October 6 on "Saturday Night Football."
2007 "SATURDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" SCHEDULE ON ABC:
* Game selections on September 1, 15 and 22 and October 6 have been determined.
* Selected Big Ten and Pac-10 games from September 29 through November 24 are designated for primetime on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 with network assignments to be determined on a six- or 12-day basis (except Notre Dame at UCLA on October 6).
* ACC, Big 12 and BIG EAST "Saturday Night Football" game selections will be determined on a six- or 12-day basis.
DATE TIME (ET) GAME
Sept. 1 8:00 p.m. Tennessee at California
Sept. 15 8:00 p.m. USC at Nebraska
Sept. 22 8:00 p.m. Washington State at USC and Iowa at Wisconsin ^
Sept. 29 8:00 p.m. TBD: Ohio State at Minnesota* and/or USC at Washington*
Oct. 6 8:00 p.m. Notre Dame at UCLA (confirmed); potential additional games:
Ohio State at Purdue** and/or ACC or Big 12 or BIG EAST
Oct. 20 8:00 p.m. TBD: Michigan at Illinois*** or ACC or Big 12
Oct. 27 8:00 p.m. TBD: Ohio State at Penn State*** or Big 12 or BIG EAST
Nov. 3 8:00 p.m. TBD: Oregon State at USC*** or ACC or Big 12 or BIG EAST
Nov. 10 8:00 p.m. TBD: USC at California*** or ACC or Big 12 or BIG EAST
Nov. 17 8:00 p.m. TBD: ACC, Big 12 or BIG EAST
Nov. 24 8:00 p.m. TBD: ACC, Big 12 or BIG EAST
Dec. 1 8:00 p.m. Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship Game
^ Split national telecast
*One or both games will be on ABC; if one game on ABC, the other will be televised in primetime on ESPN or ESPN2
** Notre Dame at UCLA is confirmed for "Saturday Night Football"; Ohio State at Purdue will be televised in primetime on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
*** Selected game will be in primetime on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
