ABC SPORTS AND ESPN, INC. TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF BOWL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
ABC Sports and ESPN, Inc. will utilize their event and news resources to offer extensive coverage of the four-game college football Bowl Championship Series (BCS). On-site coverage will begin January 1 with SportsCenter and ESPNEWS reports and conclude January 5. Highlights:
--All four BCS games on ABC Sports and ESPN Radio, including in high definition on ABC HD;
--On-site coverage from ABC Sports and ESPN studio programs, including three College GameDay shows and daily reports on SportsCenter and ESPNEWS plus online content on ESPN.com;
--College sports network ESPNU offering a live on-site Rose Bowl preview, plus two 12-hour blocks featuring games involving USC and Texas and encore presentations of all four BCS games;
--Keith Jackson calling his 14th Rose Bowl Game and fourth BCS National Championship;
--Great past bowl games on ESPN Classic, short-turnaround condensed versions of this year�s BCS matchups on ESPN360 and global coverage on ESPN International.
GAME TELECASTS (ABC SPORTS) AND BROADCASTS (ESPN RADIO)
ABC Sports and ESPN Radio will combine to provide television and radio coverage of all four games: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and Nokia Sugar Bowl January 2 at 4:30 p.m. ET and 8:30 p.m., respectively; FedEx Orange Bowl January 3 at 8 p.m. and the National Championship Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi January 4 at 8 p.m. ABC HD will offer all four games in high definition.
ABC SPORTS AND ESPN RADIO BCS SCHEDULE
Date Time (ET) Network Game Site Commentators
Mon., 1/2 4:30 p.m. ABC Tostitos Fiesta Bowl � #6 Notre Dame vs. #4 Ohio State
Phoenix, Ariz. Brent Musburger, Gary Danielson and Jack Arute
ESPN Radio: Dave Pasch, Rod Gilmore, Trevor Matich and Stacey Dales-Schuman
Mon., 1/2 8:30 p.m. ABC Nokia Sugar Bowl � #11 West Virginia vs. #7 Georgia
Atlanta, Ga. Brad Nessler, Bob Griese and Lynn Swann
ESPN Radio: Sean McDonough, Tim Brant and Alex Flanagan
Tue., 1/3 8 p.m. ABC FedEx Orange Bowl � #3 Penn State vs. #22 Florida State
Miami, Fla. Mike Tirico, Kirk Herbstreit and Erin Andrews
ESPN Radio: Gary Thorne, Ed Cunningham and Dr. Jerry Punch
Wed., 1/4 8 p.m. ABC Rose Bowl Presented by Citi� #1 USC vs. #2 Texas
Pasadena, Calif. Keith Jackson, Dan Fouts and Todd Harris and Holly Rowe
ESPN Radio: Ron Franklin, Bob Davie and Dave Ryan
Note: All rankings Bowl Championship Series
COMMENTATORS
--Keith Jackson will call his 14th Rose Bowl game and fourth BCS Championship game. Jackson, in his 39th year as a broadcaster, will partner with analyst Dan Fouts and reporters Todd Harris and Holly Rowe on ABC Sports� coverage. The ESPN Saturday primetime team of Ron Franklin and Bob Davie will work the Rose Bowl for ESPN Radio with reporter Dave Ryan.
--ESPN�s Thursday night team of Mike Tirico, Kirk Herbstreit and Erin Andrews will be assigned to the FedEx Orange Bowl for ABC Sports. ESPN Radio�s action will be described by ABC Sports� Saturday afternoon team of Gary Thorne, Ed Cunningham and Dr. Jerry Punch.
--Brent Musburger, Gary Danielson and Jack Arute will call the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl for ABC Sports. ESPN�s Friday night team of Dave Pasch, Rod Gilmore, Trevor Matich and Stacey Dales-Schuman will announce the game for ESPN Radio.
--Coverage of the Nokia Sugar Bowl will feature Brad Nessler, Bob Griese and Lynn Swann (ABC Sports) and Sean McDonough, Tim Brant and Alex Flanagan (ESPN Radio).
ON-SITE STUDIO COVERAGE FROM ABC SPORTS AND ESPN
From January 1-5, ABC Sports and ESPN will provide extensive on-site news updates, analysis, features and highlights of the four BCS games through ABC Sports� college football studio program, ESPN�s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, College GameDay on ESPN Radio, SportsCenter and ESPNEWS.
ABC Sports
ABC Sports� pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage, hosted by John Saunders with analysts Craig James and Aaron Taylor, will originate from the Fiesta Bowl on January 2 and the Rose Bowl January 3-4. Coverage will include analysis, interviews and features on all four games and daily reports on the Rose Bowl. Scheduled segments include:
--Pre-game Fiesta Bowl features on Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, Ohio State linebacker AJ Hawk and at how Notre Dame was able to reach a BCS bowl after a 6-6 season in 2004.
--A Rose Bowl pre-game piece featuring USC alum Will Ferrell debating Texas alum Matthew McConaughey.
--A live interview with troops stationed in Iraq during halftime of the Rose Bowl.
College GameDay
College GameDay, hosted by Chris Fowler with analysts Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit and contributor Desmond Howard, will originate from the Rose Bowl with shows January 2-4. Mark May will provide on-site analysis January 3-4. Program schedule and segments will include:
January 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.:
--Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn�s season under first-year coach Charlie Weis, former New England Patriots offensive coordinator, including a look at how the influence of Patriots� quarterback Tom Brady played a role.
--Texas quarterback Vince Young discussing how not winning the Heisman Trophy motivates him and his teammates in the Rose Bowl Game.
--High school highlight film of USC Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush.
January 3 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.:
--Orange Bowl analyst Kirk Herbstreit providing a preview of the matchup via satellite.
--USC running back LenDale White talking about the close relationship he has with cousin, Detroit Pistons guard Chauncey Billups.
--Penn State defensive star Tamba Hali, who escaped from war-torn Liberia as a child with his father and siblings, and the efforts to bring his mother to the United States.
January 4 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.:
--Interviews with USC coach Pete Carroll and Texas coach Mack Brown as they enter the stadium.
--A breakdown of what USC must do to stop Texas� Vince Young.
--A look at the unique relationship between Reggie Bush and his step-father.
College GameDay on ESPN Radio
On January 4, College GameDay on ESPN Radio, with host Dave Revsine and analysts Gerry DiNardo and Todd McShay, will offer four hours of coverage from the Rose Bowl beginning at 4 p.m.
SportsCenter and ESPNEWS
Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Mark May will provide daily SportsCenter and ESPNEWS coverage from the Rose Bowl beginning January 1. Segments will include:
--ESPNEWS will provide coverage of the Rose Bowl media day January 2 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Host Trey Wingo and analyst Robert Smith will anchor studio coverage from Bristol, Conn. with on-site contributions from Howard and reporters Joe Schad, Shelley Smith (with USC) and Steve Cyphers (with Texas).
--SportsCenter will include live Rose Bowl post-game coverage immediately following the game.
--ABC Sports� John Saunders, Craig James and Aaron Taylor will join May for live post-game Rose Bowl coverage on ESPNEWS.
--A look back at the national championship and a look ahead to next season, including projections of the top five teams heading into 2006.
ESPNU: THE U TO ORIGINATE FROM THE ROSE BOWL; NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CRAM SESSIONS; ENCORE PRESENTATIONS OF BCS GAMES
The U, ESPNU�s signature studio show, will originate live from the Rose Bowl for a pre-game show Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 3 p.m. Mike Hall, ESPNU�s primary anchor, will host the 90-minute special previewing the National Championship along with college football analysts Mike Gottfried and Todd McShay. The program will include coverage from ESPN�s National Championship Tailgate, an on-site fan fest in Pasadena, Calif. featuring a performance by Grammy-nominated country group Big & Rich presented by Cingular.
In addition, ESPNU will offer a 12-hour cram session featuring games involving USC and Texas from earlier this season, January 4 beginning at 6 a.m. On January 5 beginning at 7 a.m., ESPNU will provide a 12-hour cram session featuring games from this year involving the national champion, concluding with a re-air of this year�s Rose Bowl.
In addition, ESPNU will offer the first encore presentation of the four BCS matchups.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Jan. 3 at 3 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Nokia Sugar Bowl Jan. 3 at 6 a.m. and Jan. 4 at midnight
FedEx Orange Bowl Jan. 4 at 3 a.m.
Rose Bowl Presented by Citi Jan. 5 at 3 a.m., 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.
THE ROSE PARADE
Monday, Jan. 2 at 11 a.m., ABC will televise the 117th Rose Parade live from Pasadena, Calif. The two-hour broadcast, hosted by ABC Sports commentator Terry Gannon, will feature the parade�s famous floral floats, high-stepping equestrians and marching bands, along with Desperate Housewives stars Teri Hatcher and James Denton who will serve as commentators.
ESPN CLASSIC
ESPN Classic will offer 35 hours of classic Rose Bowl games ranging from 1978 to 2005 over New Year�s Eve and New Year�s Day. In addition, ESPN Classic will look back at great Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl games with eight hours of action January 4 beginning at 10 a.m.
Classic Rose Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 31: Washington vs. Michigan (1978) at noon, USC vs. Michigan (1979) at 2 p.m., USC vs. Ohio State (1985) at 4 p.m., Arizona State vs. Michigan (1987) at 6 p.m., Michigan State vs. USC (1988) at 8 p.m., Michigan vs. USC (1989) at 10 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 1: USC vs. Michigan (1990) at midnight, Washington vs. Iowa (1991) at 2 a.m., Michigan vs. Washington (1993) at 4 a.m., Ohio State vs. USC (1969) at 7 a.m., Wisconsin vs. UCLA (1994) at 8 a.m., Penn State vs. Oregon (1995) at 10 a.m., USC vs. Northwestern (1996) at noon, Arizona State vs. Ohio State (1997) at 2 p.m., Michigan vs. Washington State (1998) at 4 p.m., Wisconsin vs. UCLA (1999) at 6 p.m., Purdue vs. Washington (2001) at 8 p.m., Texas vs. Michigan (2005) at 10 p.m.
Classic Sugar Bowl and Fiesta Bowl
Wednesday, Jan. 4: Alabama vs. Penn State (1979 Sugar Bowl) at 10 a.m., Penn State vs. Georgia (1983 Sugar Bowl) at noon, Penn State vs. Miami (1987 Fiesta Bowl) at 2 p.m., Ohio State vs. Miami (2003 Fiesta Bowl) at 4 p.m.
ESPN.COM
ESPN.com will provide in-depth coverage with an individual page for all four BCS games, including a break down of the matchups, college football-related ESPN Motion video, keys to who, why and what to watch, and season stats, rosters and team histories. ESPN.com will also have daily feature and news stories about each game, results, key players, programs and personalities; SportsNation polls; live chats; commentary and humor from ESPN.com�s Page 2 section and more.
ESPN360 TO FEATURE CONDENSED BOWL GAMES
ESPN360, ESPN's customized broadband service, will offer condensed versions of all four BCS games. Each game will run between 15-20 minutes and will be available within 24 hours of its original airing.
ESPN INTERNATIONAL
The BCS matchups will be available live in 150 countries outside the United States on nine ESPN branded networks.
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