The 2012 college football season kicks off Thursday, Aug. 30, on ESPN with a doubleheader featuring South Carolina at Vanderbilt followed by Washington State at BYU. In the opening weekend, ESPN platforms will air 46 games including matchups with 16 ranked teams. Other highlights include the Emerald Isle Classic from Dublin, Ireland, with Notre Dame vs. Navy Saturday at 9am ET on CBS, Alabama vs. Michigan in the Cowboys Classic from Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Saturday night on ABC and Hawaii at No. 1 USC Saturday night on FOX.
Kickoff weekend highlights below, followed by complete schedules from ESPN and FOX (including BTN, FSN, FX and FOX College Sports.
Thursday, Aug. 30
South Carolina at Vanderbilt
ESPN, 7pm ET Live
College football season kicks off with a Thursday night SEC matchup in Nashville between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Vanderbilt Commodores. South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier lost some key performers from last year’s 11-2 team that trounced Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl, but has even higher expectations for his team this year. Vanderbilt is building a contender under head coach James Franklin after a 6-7 season and a rare bowl appearance.
Friday, Aug. 31
Boise State at Michigan State
ESPN, 8pm ET Live
College football’s kickoff weekend continues with the Boise State Broncos visiting East Lansing and the Michigan State Spartans. Big challenges face the Broncos (12-1 last year), who have to replace four-year starting quarterback Kellen Moore as well as everyone on its excellent defensive line. The Spartans, coming off an 11-win season with the Big Ten’s No. 1 defense, will have a new starting quarterback in Andrew Maxwell and several new receivers.
Saturday, Sept. 1
Emerald Isle Classic: Notre Dame vs. Navy
CBS, 9am ET Live
College football’s opening weekend continues with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish taking on the Navy Midshipmen at Aviva Stadium in Dublin for the Emerald Isle Classic. Fans may have to set their alarm clocks for this one, with a 6am kickoff for viewers on the West Coast. Notre Dame and Navy will be meeting for the 86th time — they’ve played each other every year since 1927. Notre Dame routed Navy 56-14 in last year’s contest.
Cowboys Classic: Alabama vs. Michigan
ABC, 8pm Live
The Alabama Crimson Tide face the Michigan Wolverines in the Cowboys Classic at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Hard to believe, but this will be only the fourth meeting between the storied programs and first in the regular season. The previous three meetings were in bowl games, the last being Michigan’s 35-34 overtime win in the Orange Bowl in January 2000. Nick Saban’s Tide are coming off their second BCS national championship on three years, while the Wolverines have high expectations after an 11-2 record in head coach Brady Hoke’s first season.
2012 college football kickoff TV schedule:
ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN3, ESPN 3D, Longhorn Network and ESPN Radio Schedule
Date | Time (ET) | Game / Commentators | Network |
Thu, Aug 30 | 7 p.m. | No. 9 South Carolina at VanderbiltRece Davis, Jesse Palmer, David Pollack & Samantha Steele | ESPN |
7 p.m. | Central Florida at AkronKeith Morehouse & Jerod Cherry | ESPN3 | |
7 p.m. | Eastern Michigan at Ball State Jim Barbar & Rocky Boiman |
ESPN3 | |
7 p.m. | Southeast Missouri State at Central MichiganDan Gutowsky & Bob Chmeil | ESPN3 | |
7 p.m. | ESPN Goal Line simulcast | ESPNU | |
7:30 p.m. | McNeese State at Middle Tennessee State | ESPN3 | |
7:30 p.m. | Massachusetts at ConnecticutBob Picozzi & David Diaz-Infante | ESPN3 * & BIG EAST Network | |
8 p.m. | Sacramento State at New Mexico State | ESPN3 * | |
8 p.m. | Southern Utah at Utah State | ESPN3 * | |
9 p.m. | Eastern Washington at IdahoTrey Bender & Jay Taylor | ESPN3 | |
10:15 p.m. | Washington State at BYUJoe Tessitore, Matt Millen & Shannon Spake | ESPN | |
Fri, Aug 31 | 7 p.m. | Villanova at TempleScott Graham, John Bunting & Cat Whitehill | ESPN3 |
7:30 p.m. | Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: NC State vs. Tennessee (Atlanta)ESPNU: Dave Neal, Andre Ware & Holly RoweRadio: Bill Rosinski, David Norrie, and Joe Schad | ESPNU & ESPN Radio | |
8 p.m. | No. 24 Boise State at No. 13 Michigan StateCarter Blackburn, Rod Gilmore & Jemele Hill | ESPN | |
8 p.m. | Wagner at Florida AtlanticJared Schwartz & Forrest Conoly | ESPN3 | |
Sat, Sep 1 | Noon | Ohio at Penn StateDave Pasch, Brian Griese, Tom Rinaldi &Mark Schwartz | ESPN & ESPN 3D |
Noon | Northwestern at SyracuseBeth Mowins, Joey Galloway & Jenn Brown | ESPN2 | |
Noon | Western Michigan at IllinoisAnish Shroff & Dan Hawkins | ESPNU | |
Noon | Buffalo at No. 6 GeorgiaDave Neal, Andre Ware & Cara Capuano | ESPN3 & SEC Network | |
12:30 p.m. | Elon at North Carolina | ESPN3 * & ACC Network | |
2 p.m. | Texas San Antonio at South AlabamaJonathon Yardley & Cole Cubilic | ESPN3 | |
3 p.m. | William & Mary at MarylandJohn Sadak, Cory Chavous & Beth McDade | ESPN3 | |
3 p.m. | Richmond at Virginia | ESPN3 * & ACC Network | |
3:30 p.m. | Southern Mississippi at No. 17 NebraskaMike Patrick, Ed Cunningham & Jeannine Edwards | ABC & ESPN2 ** | |
Miami at Boston CollegeBob Wischusen, Danny Kanell & Maria Taylor | ABC & ESPN2 ** | ||
3:30 p.m. | Bowling Green at No. 23 FloridaMark Jones, Brock Huard & Jessica Mendoza | ESPN | |
3:30 p.m. | Iowa vs. Northern Illinois (from Solider Field – Chicago)Tom Hart & John Congemi | ESPNU | |
6 p.m. | Youngstown State at PittsburghBob Picozzi, Ralph Freidgen & Rotina McCann | ESPN3 | |
6 p.m. | Murray State at No. 7 Florida StateShawn Kenney& Rene Ingoglia | ESPN3 | |
6:30 p.m. | Liberty at Wake ForestRyan Rose & Stan Lewter | ESPN3 | |
7 p.m. | Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: No. 14 Clemson vs. Auburn (Atlanta) Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge & Holly Rowe |
ESPN | |
7 p.m. | North Texas at No. 3 LSUClay Matvick, Matt Stinchcomb & Allison Williams | ESPNU | |
7 p.m. | Florida International at DukeDarren Goldwater, John Gregory & Angela Mallen | ESPN3 | |
7 p.m. | Tennessee-Chattanooga at South FloridaDave Weekley, Warrick Dunn & Tiffany Greene | ESPN3 | |
7 p.m. | Austin Peay at Western Kentucky Dan Gutowsky & Doug Graber |
ESPN3 | |
7 p.m. | Jackson State at Mississippi State | ESPN3 * & RSN | |
7 p.m. | Central Arkansas at Mississippi | ESPN3 * & PPV | |
7 p.m. | Jacksonville State at No. 10 Arkansas | ESPN3 * & PPV | |
7 p.m. | Southeastern Louisiana at Missouri | ESPN3 * & PPV | |
7:30 p.m. | Hawaii at No. 1 USCRich Cellini, John Mackovic, and Brett McMurphy | ESPN Radio | |
8 p.m. | Cowboys Classic: No. 8 Michigan vs. No. 2 Alabama (Arlington, Texas)Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit & Heather Cox | ABC & ESPN Radio | |
8 p.m. | Wyoming at No. 15 TexasMark Neely, Ray Bentle7 & Kaylee Hartung | Longhorn Network | |
10:30 p.m. | Arkansas State at No. 5 OregonJoe Tessitore, Matt Millen & Shelley Smith | ESPN | |
10:30 p.m. | Toledo at ArizonaJoe Davis & Mike Bellotti | ESPNU | |
Sun, Sep 2 | Noon | MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney: Bethune-Cookman vs. Alabama State (from Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium – Orlando) Dave Lamont, Jay Walker & Paul Carcaterra |
ESPN |
3:30 p.m. | Kentucky at No. 25 LouisvilleCarter Blackburn, Rod Gilmore & Jemele Hill | ESPN | |
Mon, Sep 3 | 8 p.m. | Georgia Tech at No. 16 Virginia TechSean McDonough, Chris Spielman & Quint Kessenich | ESPN |
* Local blackout may apply
** Reverse mirror in which ESPN2 will regionalize two games on ABC to markets not receiving the telecast
FOX SPORTS MEDIA GROUP WEEKEND COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
*All Times Eastern
DATE | TIME | GAME | OUTLET | Play by Play | Analyst | Sideline |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 7: 30 PM | Hawai’i at USC | FOX | Gus Johnson | Charles Davis | Julie Alexandria |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 12:00 PM | Miami (Ohio) at Ohio St. | BTN | Eric Collins | Derek Rackley | Lisa Byington |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 12:00 PM | Troy at UAB | FCS | Mike Gleason | Ben Leber | Lesley McCaslin |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 12:00 PM | Appalachian St. at East Carolina | FSN (National) | Ron Thulin | Shaun King | Desmond Purnell |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 12:00 PM | Marshall at West Virginia | FX | Justin Kutcher | Eric Crouch | Darius Walker |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 3:00 PM | Richmond at Virginia | FS South | Paul Kennedy | Keith Jones | Jenn Hildreath |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 3:30 PM | Northern Iowa at Wisconsin | BTN | Kevin Kugler | Chris Martin | Jay Wilson |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 3:30 PM | Eastern Kentucky at Purdue | BTN | Matt Devlin | Glen Mason | J Leman |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 3:30 PM | Tulsa at Iowa St. | FSN (National) | Mark Followill | Gary Reasons | TBA |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 4:00 PM | Colorado St. vs. Colorado (From Denver) | FX | Craig Bolerjack | Joel Klatt | Petros Papadakis |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 7:00 PM | Savannah St. at Oklahoma St. | FCS | Kevin Eschenfelder | ND Kalu | Erin Bajackson |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 7:00 PM | Northwestern St. at Texas Tech | FSSW Plus | Bill Land | Dave Lapham | Emily Jones |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 7:00 PM | Jackson St. at Miss St. | FS South | Bob Rathbun | Tim Couch | Elizabeth Moreau |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 8:00 PM | Indiana State at Indiana | BTN | Wayne Larrivee | Jon Jansen | Antwaan Randle El |
Saturday, Sept. 1 | 10:30 PM | Oklahoma at UTEP | FSN (National) | Mike Morgan | JC Pearson | Laura McKeeman |
Sunday, Sept. 2 | 6:30 PM | SMU at Baylor | FSN (National) | Joel Meyers | Brian Baldinger | Jim Knox |
This weekend is a college football fan’s dream with so many great non-conference matchups. Alabama and Michigan are putting their national championship hopes on the line and it’s nice to see Notre Dame spreading the word of football in Ireland. I work at Dish when the early games on so I will be recording the Notre Dame matchup on my Hopper. The 2,000 hours of hard drive space makes it easy to record and keep up with games and shows that I miss. I think Alabama might be in trouble since their defense was gutted since the national champion game.