Analysis on 9/21 CFB TV selections

Had some time on my hands last night.  These are just guesses as to how the network designations could be made on 9/15 and what could influence those decisions.

* Where Michigan-UConn ends up determines how the slotting goes at 12pm.  If that game is split at 8pm with Kansas St.-Texas, it locks UNC-Georgia Tech and San Jose St.-Minnesota into ESPN or ESPN2 and pushes up either Vanderbilt-UMass or Marshall-Virginia Tech into ESPNU with the other on ESPNEWS.

If Michigan-UConn stays at 12pm, it should go to ESPN, locking San Jose St.-Minnesota on ESPN2 and UNC-Georgia Tech into the ESPNU slot.  Vanderbilt-UMass or Marshall-Virginia Tech goes to ESPNEWS and the other to ESPN3.

* To me, the winners of Boston College-USC & Maryland-UConn have the most influence over the network decisions at 3:30pm.  Arkansas, Utah St., West Virginia & Rutgers should be favored.  Maryland & WVU winning might give it the nod over Arkansas-Rutgers & Utah St.-USC, in that order.  Otherwise, Arkansas-Rutgers could be a solid choice.

* Simple as this at 7pm, at least in my mind: Winner of Alabama-Texas A&M gets the ESPN2 slot.

* Found it interesting that Kent St.-Penn St. was put in the 3:30pm BTN mix while Western Michigan-Iowa is at 12pm.  Does make some sense that they are in different time slots are the two matchups between FBS teams available to BTN.  Maybe there was concern about placing Nebraska & Iowa in the same time slot, along w/Ohio St. & Penn St. in another.  Just a guess.

* If the Big 12 and Pac-12 selections are pooled at the top, I believe FOX had the top choice this week.

* Yeah, it would have been nice to see Utah-BYU in the mix at 3:30pm instead of Utah St.-USC.  Especially since the series will be taking a two year break.  At least they gave this game a 15 minute head start of sorts with it being a 8:15pm local start time.

* Was surprised they went with the Wyoming-Air Force game on ESPNU.  Didn't expect it to be available for TV.  By slotting two Pac-12 games at 10:30pm on Pac-12 Networks, the slot opened for the Mountain West.