Sunday, March 17, 2024

CFB TV Guesses: 2024 Week 3


Initial guesses for 2024 Week 3 CFB.  If a game isn't listed, assume its a ESPN+, ACCNX/ESPN+, SEC+/ESPN+ or MW Network streaming exclusive.  Peacock exclusives will be listed due to the limited number of them.

I've also made a couple assumptions regarding the movement of games off Saturday to either Thursday or Friday.

Games listed in italics are confirmed for that time and TV network.

Friday
* With the local start time of 8pm, I think this should be OK as an exception to the Mountain West latest FOX Sports start time of 7:45pm local with it airing on the broadcast network

8pm ESPN: Arizona at Kansas State
10pm FOX: Utah at Utah State

Saturday
* Ended up placing both Texas and Tennessee's games on ESPN+.
* The Big Ten selection order I used was FOX -> NBC -> CBS -> FOX.
* With Arizona at Kansas State on ESPN the prior evening, I gave FOX three Saturday Big 12 selections.
* Last year, FOX and NBC coexisted once (10/14, mid afternoon).  For now, I'm using that as justification for coexisting FOX and CBS's Big Ten games.
* Gave Oregon at Oregon State to ABC.  As I mentioned re: Washington State in Week 2, I have no clue where these two schools' home games will end up.
* Figured this week was a good week to get one of CBS's Mountain West broadcast network windows out of the way.

12pm ABC: West Virginia at Pitt
12pm FOX: Alabama at Wisconsin
12pm ESPN: Georgia at Kentucky
12pm ESPN2: Toledo at Mississippi State
12pm FS1: Air Force at Baylor
12pm BTN: Arkansas State at Michigan
12pm BTN: Troy at Iowa
12pm ESPNU: Arizona State at Texas State
12pm SECN: New Mexico at Auburn
12pm ACCN: Ball State at Miami (FL)
12pm CBSSN: Cincinnati at Miami (OH)
3pm CW: Memphis at Florida State
3:30pm ABC: Texas A&M at Florida
3:30pm CBS: Washington State vs. Washington
3:30pm FS1: UNLV vs. Kansas
3:30pm BTN: Central Michigan at Illinois
3:30pm BTN: Prairie View A&M at Michigan State
3:30pm ACCN: Maryland at Virginia
3:30pm CBSSN: UTEP at Liberty
3:30pm Peacock: UNI at Nebraska
4pm FOX: Indiana at UCLA
4pm ESPN: Boston College at Missouri
4pm ESPN2: Oklahoma State at Tulsa
4pm ESPNU: Virginia Tech at Old Dominion
4pm SECN: UAB at Arkansas
7pm FS1: Nevada at Minnesota
7pm CBSSN: BYU at Wyoming
7pm ACCN: Louisiana Tech at NC State
7:30pm ABC: Oregon at Oregon State
7:30pm NBC: Notre Dame at Purdue
7:30pm CBS: Colorado at Colorado State
7:30pm ESPN2: Ole Miss at Wake Forest
7:30pm BTN: Eastern Illinois at Northwestern
7:30pm ESPNU: Vanderbilt at Georgia State
7:30pm SECN: LSU at South Carolina
8pm FOX: UCF at TCU
8pm ESPN: Tulane at Oklahoma
10:30pm CBSSN: NM State at Fresno State
10:30pm ACCN: San Diego State at California

Friday, March 8, 2024

CFB TV Guesses: 2024 Week 2


Initial guesses for 2024 Week 2 CFB.  If a game isn't listed, assume its a ESPN+, ACCNX/ESPN+, SEC+/ESPN+ or MW Network streaming exclusive.  Peacock exclusives will be listed due to the limited number of them.

I've also made a couple assumptions regarding the movement of games off Saturday to either Thursday or Friday.

Games listed in italics are confirmed for that time and TV network.

* FOX will have evening MLB
* ESPN's mid-afternoon window will have the US Open women's final
* I have no clue where Washington State or Oregon State home games will land.  I gave Texas Tech at Washington State to FS1.
* FOX Sports made their announcement that they would start carrying Friday night football on FOX broadcast network.  I know WWE Smackdown would still be carried by FOX networks through October.  I'm assuming that they'll agree to move the program to FS1.

Friday
8pm ESPN2: BYU at SMU
10:30pm FOX: Boise State at Oregon

Saturday
12pm ABC: Arkansas at Oklahoma State
12pm FOX: Texas at Michigan
12pm ESPN: Houston at Oklahoma
12pm ESPN2: Jacksonville State at Louisville
12pm FS1: Pitt at Cincinnati
12pm BTN: Western Michigan at Ohio State
12pm BTN: South Dakota at Wisconsin
12pm ESPNU: Army at Florida Atlantic
12pm SECN: Buffalo at Missouri
12pm ACCN: Charlotte at North Carolina
12pm CBSSN: Temple at Navy
3pm CW: Virginia at Wake Forest
3:30pm ABC: South Florida at Alabama
3:30pm CBS: Colorado at Nebraska
3:30pm NBC: Northern Illinois at Notre Dame
3:30pm FOX: Baylor at Utah
3:30pm FS1: Iowa State at Iowa
3:30pm BTN: Bowling Green at Penn State
3:30pm BTN: Duke at Northwestern
3:30pm ACC: Marshall at Virginia Tech
3:30pm CBSSN: San Jose State at Air Force
3:30pm Peacock: Kansas at Illinois
4pm ESPN2: Georgia Tech at Syracuse
4pm ESPNU: Troy at Memphis
4pm SECN: Middle Tennessee at Ole Miss
7pm ESPN: California at Auburn
7pm FS1: Akron at Rutgers
7pm BTN: Western Illinois at Indiana
7pm BTN; Rhode Island at Minnesota
7pm CBSSN: Liberty at NM State
7:30pm ABC: Tennessee vs. NC State
7:30pm NBC: Michigan State at Maryland
7:30pm ESPN2: Kansas State at Tulane
7:30pm ESPNU: UMass at Toledo
7:30pm SECN: South Carolina at Kentucky
8pm ACCN: App State at Clemson
10:30pm FOX: Utah State at USC
10:30pm ESPN: Mississippi State at Arizona State
10:30pm FS1: Texas Tech at Washington State
10:30pm BTN: Eastern Michigan at Washington
10:30pm CBSSN: Oregon State at San Diego State

Monday, March 4, 2024

CFB TV Guesses: 2024 Weeks 0 & 1

Initial guesses for Week 0 & 1 CFB.  If a game isn't listed, assume its a ESPN+, ACCNX/ESPN+, SEC+/ESPN+ or MW Network streaming exclusive.  Peacock exclusives will be listed due to the limited number of them.

I've also made a couple assumptions regarding the movement of games off Saturday to either Thursday or Friday.

Games listed in italics are confirmed for that time and TV network.

Week 0
What is know right now in terms of available time slots:
* ABC should have the third place game in the Little League World Series on Saturday 8/24 in the afternoon.

1:30pm ESPN: Florida State vs. Georgia Tech
5pm ESPN: North Alabama vs. Southeast Missouri
6pm FS1: SMU at Nevada
7:30pm ABC: Florida A&M vs. Norfolk State
Midnight Spectrum PPV: Delaware State at Hawai'i

Week 1
What is known or expected right now in terms of available time slots
* FOX has evening MLB starting at 7pm ET
* CBS has NWSL games on Sunday afternoon
* ESPN2 should take the US Open tennis event all day

Thursday
I'm making an assumption that either Arizona or Arizona State will move to Thursday night to provide ESPN a Thursday night opener. I think the Big 12 will be providing that opening Thursday night game either way.

SECN tends to have a Thursday night opener as well. Went with old standby South Carolina. 

7pm ACCN: Western Carolina at NC State
7:30pm SECN: Old Dominion at South Carolina
8pm FS1: North Carolina at Minnesota
9pm ESPN: New Mexico at Arizona

Friday
Another assumption, but with a history as Michigan State has regularly moved their home opener to Friday night when it occurs during the Labor Day weekend.  Wisconsin has also occasionally hosted on Friday night and this seems to be a good spot for them.

6pm CBSSN: Lehigh at Army West Point
7pm ACCN: Elon at Duke
7:30pm BTN: Florida Atlantic at Michigan State
8pm FS1: Western Michigan at Wisconsin
9pm ESPN: TCU at Stanford

Saturday
12pm ABC: Colorado State at Texas
12pm FOX: Fresno State at Michigan
12pm ESPN: Virginia Tech at Vanderbilt
12pm FS1: UNLV at Houston
12pm BTN: FIU at Indiana
12pm BTN: Howard at Rutgers
12pm ESPNU: James Madison at Charlotte
12pm SECN: Southern Miss at Kentucky
12pm ACCN: Kent State at Pitt
12pm Peacock: UConn at Maryland
3:30pm ABC: Clemson vs. Georgia
3:30pm FOX: Penn State at West Virginia
3:30pm CBS: Akron at Ohio State
3:30pm FS1: Idaho at Oregon
3:30pm BTN: Miami (OH) at Northwestern
3:30pm BTN: Indiana State at Purdue
3:30pm CBSSN: Bucknell at Navy
3:30pm ACCN: Georgia State at Georgia Tech
4pm ESPN: Temple at Oklahoma
4pm SECN: Chattanooga at Tennessee
4pm ESPNU: Boise State at Georgia Southern
6:30pm CW: Ohio at Syracuse
7pm FS1: Illinois State at Iowa
7:30pm ABC: Notre Dame at Texas A&M
7:30pm NBC: UTEP at Nebraska
7:30pm SEC: WKU at Alabama
7:30pm CBSSN: Coastal Carolina at Jacksonville State
7:30pm BTN: Weber State at Washington
7:30pm ESPNU: North Texas at South Alabama
8pm ESPN: Miami (FL) at Florida
8pm ACCN: Houston Christian at SMU
10:30pm FS1: Wyoming at Arizona State
11pm CBSSN: UCLA at Hawai'i

Sunday
7:30pm ABC: LSU vs. USC

Monday
8pm ESPN: Boston College at Florida State

Saturday, November 18, 2023

Six Day Hold Guesses for 11/25

Six day hold guesses for 11/25.

* For those wondering, I received a comment from one of the sides that the ACC and ESPN came to a mutual agreement to hold games for 11/25.  It was beyond the contracted number of four 6 day holds.
* Arizona at Arizona State has a slight chance to be available to put the Wildcats into a three or even four way tie for the Pac-12 championship game. I know Colorado has been ratings gold, but its now a meaningless game with CU not being bowl eligible and Utah not in the running for the Pac-12 title game.
* With Oklahoma and Texas playing on Friday afternoon, the Big 12 schedule is a bit blah.  I ended up removing the 12pm ACC Network window and placing West Virginia at Baylor on ESPN+ (the last Big 12 selection isn't always ESPN+ and FOX Sports could be behind ESPN's final selection).  If there's an ACC Network noon window:
  • Move Pitt-Duke to 12pm on ACCN.
  • Send North Carolina at NC State to 3:30pm on ACCN.
  • Place Iowa State at Kansas State to ABC at 12pm.
  • Put West Virginia at Baylor on ESPN2 at 7pm.
12pm ABC: North Carolina at NC State
12pm FS1: Houston at UCF
3pm Pac-12:  Colorado at Utah
3:30pm ABC: Kentucky at Louisville
3:30pm ESPN: Arizona at Arizona State
3:30pm ACCN: Pitt at Duke
7pm ESPN2: Iowa State at Kansas State
7pm FS1: Kansas at Cincinnati
8pm FOX: BYU at Oklahoma State
8pm ACCN: Virginia Tech at Virginia
TBA ESPN+: West Virginia at Baylor

Monday, November 13, 2023

CFB TV Confirmations for 2023 Week 13 (11/21/23-11/25/23)

This post will be updated as announcements come out for start times for Week 13 (11/21/23-11/25/23) from the (mostly) twelve day selection process that most TV networks adhere to. Most conferences have the possibility of having all or part of their scheduled games held for a six day hold for the start time and/or the TV network. The list of available TV windows are based on media websites, TV listings and press releases. They can change based on the needs of the broadcaster or the conference.

Here's what I guessed based on the available openings (they will prove to be incorrect), along with the games that have already been set

All conferences except the ACC can have six day holds used against all or part of their home game schedule this week. 

All times Eastern

Tuesday
7pm ESPN2: 
7pm ESPNU: 

Options
Bowling Green at Western Michigan
Buffalo at Eastern Michigan

Friday
12pm ESPNU: 
12pm CBSSN: 

Options
Toledo at Central Michigan
Ohio at Akron

Saturday

Six Day Holds
BYU at Oklahoma State
Kansas at Cincinnati
Iowa State at Kansas State
West Virginia at Baylor
Houston at UCF
Colorado at Utah - 3pm ET Pac-12 Networks or TBA via ESPN
Arizona at Arizona State - 3pm ET Pac-12 Networks or TBA via ESPN
Virginia Tech at Virginia
Pitt at Duke - 12pm or 3:30pm ACCN
Kentucky at Louisville
North Carolina at NC State

12pm ESPN: Texas A&M at LSU
12pm ESPN2: Navy at SMU
12pm BTN: Indiana at Purdue
12pm ESPNU: Troy at Southern Miss
12pm CBSSN: 
12pm ESPN+: UConn at UMass
1pm ESPN+: Florida Atlantic at Rice
2pm CW: Wake Forest at Syracuse
2pm ESPN+: Tulsa at East Carolina
2pm ESPN+: UAB at North Texas
2pm ESPN+: Georgia State at Old Dominion
3pm ESPN+: ULM at Louisiana
3:30pm CBS: Alabama at Auburn
3:30pm ESPN2: James Madison at Coastal Carolina
3:30pm FS1: Wisconsin at Minnesota
3:30pm BTN: Northwestern at Illinois
3:30pm BTN: Maryland at Rutgers
3:30pm ESPNU: Georgia Southern at App State
3:30pm SECN: Vanderbilt at Tennessee
3:30pm ESPN+: Arkansas State at Marshall
4pm FOX: Washington State at Washington
7pm ESPN: Florida State at Florida
7pm NFLN: South Alabama at Texas State
7pm Pac-12: Notre Dame at Stanford
7:30pm ABC: Georgia at Georgia Tech
7:30pm ESPNU: Charlotte at South Florida
7:30pm SECN: Clemson at South Carolina
10:30pm ESPN: California at UCLA
10:30pm FS1: Fresno State at San Diego State

Options
Northern Illinois at Kent State
Miami (OH) at Ball State

Sunday, November 12, 2023

CFB TV Guesses for 2023 Week 13 (11/21/23-11/25/23)

Here are the games already set for television and/or webcast. Here are the known available telecast windows. 

I have done my best to list what TV windows are out there. Every listing service has a little different schedule for these networks. It is also possible that a window could be eliminated or the time of a window could shift slightly to accommodate a network's needs.

Instead of cluttering up these posts even more, I'll try to keep track of the unique conference TV arrangements in a separate post.  

A few notes and considerations:

* Last selections for the Pac-12 (as 12) for now, and further changes coming for the Big 12, Big Ten and SEC next season.
* I wrote a small series of posts on X this morning regarding the Big 12 game count for ABC/ESPN.  Have a read of it, please.
* The Pac-12 contract is a bit more strict about concurrent night games, but there's precedent from 2017 where FOX aired the Apple Cup at the same time as Notre Dame at Stanford.  So its a possibility to flip "Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate" (the name given to the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry) and the Apple Cup.
* California at UCLA was preselected as an ABC/ESPN game to be slotted anywhere on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU. Fresno State at San Diego State belongs to FOX Sports.
* NBC does not have a primetime Big Ten game on Saturday night.  They have a night game on Friday already set
* To get to the AAC minimum of 40 across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, I had to choose three AAC games to air (pretty sure those NFL Network and ESPNEWS games can't be counted).  Navy at SMU wasn't a hard choice since it could be part of the conference title game picture.  Wasn't easy after that.  At least South Florida could be working towards bowl eligibility.
* I did get creative with the ACC and deleted the early window so I could find a place for North Carolina at NC State on ESPN. 
* ESPN's website already has the C-USA games for this week on ESPN+, so they were disregarded and also not listed amongst the guesses for streaming.

Tuesday
7pm ESPN2: Bowling Green at Western Michigan
7pm ESPNU: Buffalo at Eastern Michigan

Friday
12pm ESPNU: Toledo at Central Michigan
12pm CBSSN: Ohio at Akron

Saturday
12pm ABC: Kentucky at Louisville
12pm ESPN: North Carolina at NC State
12pm ESPN2: Kansas at Cincinnati
12pm FS1: BYU at Oklahoma State
12pm BTN: Northwestern at Illinois
12pm ESPNU: Charlotte at South Florida
12pm SECN: Vanderbilt at Tennessee
12pm CBSSN: Miami (OH) at Ball State
2pm CW: Wake Forest at Syracuse
2pm Pac-12: Colorado at Utah
3:30pm ABC: Washington State at Washington
3:30pm CBS: Alabama at Auburn
3:30pm ESPN: James Madison at Coastal Carolina
3:30pm ESPN2: Navy at SMU
3:30pm FS1: Wisconsin at Minnesota
3:30pm BTN: Indiana at Purdue
3:30pm ESPNU: Florida Atlantic at Rice
3:30pm ACCN: Pitt at Duke
4pm FOX: Maryland at Rutgers
4pm SECN: Clemson at South Carolina
7pm ESPN: Florida State at Florida
7pm ESPN2: West Virginia at Baylor
7pm FS1: Iowa State at Kansas State
7pm NFLN: Troy at Southern Miss
7:30pm ABC: Georgia at Georgia Tech
7:30pm ESPNU: Georgia Southern at App State
7:30pm SECN: Texas A&M at LSU
8pm FOX: Notre Dame at Stanford
8pm ACCN: Virginia Tech at Virginia
9pm Pac-12: Arizona at Arizona State
10:30pm ESPN: California at UCLA
10:30pm FS1: Fresno State at San Diego State

Streaming
Tulsa at East Carolina
UAB at North Texas
Houston at UCF
UConn at UMass
Northern Illinois at Kent State
Arkansas State at Marshall
Georgia State at Old Dominion
ULM at Louisiana
South Alabama at Texas State

Saturday, November 11, 2023

11/18/23 Six Day Hold Guesses

Quick guesses for 11/18 six day holds.

* Fully aware that it may be better for FOX to have Penn State and Michigan in separate windows, but I think the Michigan story will be in the Big Noon spot while it's hot.
* I'm aware that this clusters the Pac-12 into the afternoon, but that's allowed.
* I'd like to get Ohio State in is own BTN window, but I think they try to keep the two Indiana schools in separate windows, so one would have to be paired with the OSU game. 

12pm ABC: Louisville at Miami (FL) 
12pm FOX: Michigan at Maryland
12pm ESPN: Kansas State at Kansas
12pm FS1: Rutgers at Penn State 
12pm BTN: Purdue at Northwestern
2pm Pac-12: Utah at Arizona
3:30pm ABC: UCLA at USC
3:30pm ESPN: North Carolina at Clemson
3:30pm FS1: Illinois at Iowa
3:30pm BTN: Minnesota at Ohio State
3:30pm BTN: Michigan State at Indiana
4pm FOX: Oregon at Arizona State
4pm ESPN2: Oklahoma State at Houston
5pm FS2: UCF at Texas Tech
7pm FS1: Oklahoma at BYU
10:30pm FS1: New Mexico at Fresno State

ESPN+
Baylor at TCU
Cincinnati at West Virginia