College Football Week #3: 21 games on the docket: Networks, talent and times; Notre Dame on USA Network

Another weekend of college football. Still, a limited schedule. Next weekend, the SEC will kickoff. There’s also hope too that the Big Ten might reverse its decision not to play this fall.
ESPN’s talent faces mixed assignments. Some of the crews, those covering featured games, will be on site. Others will be doing play-by-play and color, from their homes.
Fox’ Tim Brando will be on the NFL this weekend, not college.
Because of the intersection of sports this late summer and fall, the Notre Dame telecast moves from NBC to its USA Network affiliate. The Peacock Network has the U.S. Open this weekend. With Mike Tirico on golf, Paul Burmeister, gets the play-by-play nod. He’s certainly familiar with the Irish. Paul’s been calling their games on radio since 2018. He’ll step into the TV booth for the Irish matchup against South Florida.This fall viewers will be treated to MLB, NBA, NFL and major golf including The Masters. It’s been an odd year to say the least.
Mark Jones, fresh off ESPN’s NBA coverage is back on college football this season. He gets the ABC game, pitting Navy at Tulane.
CBS had to make a last minute shuffle when the BYU-Army game was postponed this week because of Covid-19 cases. So #23 Appalachian State at Marshall is moved from the CBS Sports Network on cable to mainstream CBS Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Big time exposure for these two small football schools.
Roger Twibell ex-longtime local and ABC sports voice has Central Arkansas vs. Arkansas State on ESPN3.
ESPN’s number one college team, Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit, has a top twenty game on ABC, #17 Miami and #18 Louisville.
Dave Flemming and Rod Gilmore were scheduled to work the FAU-Georgia Southern game before it was cancelled late this week due to a Covid-19 protocol. I believe that two Bay Area announcers were scheduled to work the game from their homes, so it’s not as though the duo had to travel cross-country before the game was cancelled.
Friday, Sept. 18
Campbell at Coastal Carolina | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, Tom Hart, Andre Ware, Cole Cubelic
Saturday, Sept. 19
Tulsa at No. 11 Oklahoma State | 12 p.m. | ESPN, Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge
Houston at Baylor | 12 p.m. | Fox, CANCELLED due to Covid-19 protocol
Austin Peay at No. 13 Cincinnati | 12 p.m. | ESPN+, David Saltzman, Keith Moreland
Syracuse at No. 25 Pitt | 12 p.m. | ACC Network, Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich
No. 19 Louisiana at Georgia State | 12 p.m. | ESPN2, Wes Durham, Paul Carcaterra, Roddy Jones
Boston College at Duke | 12 p.m. | ESPN3, Evan Lepler, Dave Archer
Liberty at Western Kentucky | 12 p.m. | ESPNU, Clay Matvick, Rocky Boiman
Navy at Tulane | 12 p.m. | ABC, Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek
South Florida at No. 7 Notre Dame | 2:30 p.m. | USA, Paul Burmeister, Tony Dungy
Stephen F. Austin at UTSA | 3 p.m. | ESPN3, Lincoln Rose, LaDarrin McLane
Charlotte at No. 12 North Carolina | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN3, CANCELLED due to Covid-19 protocol
No. 14 UCF at Georgia Tech | 3:30 p.m. | ABC, Joe Tessitore, Greg McElroy
No. 23 Appalachian State at Marshall | 3:30 p.m. | CBS, Rich Waltz, Aaron Taylor
The Citadel at No. 1 Clemson | 4 p.m. | ACC Network, Anish Shroff, Tom Luginbill,
Florida Atlantic at Georgia Southern | 4 p.m. | ESPN2, CANCELLED due to Covid-19 protocol
Troy at Middle Tennessee | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN, Dave Neal, Jay Walker
SMU at North Texas | 6 p.m. | CBSSN, Carter Blackburn, Aaron Murray
Central Arkansas at Arkansas State | 7 p.m. | ESPN+, Roger Twibell, Pete Cordelli
No. 17 Miami (Fla.) at No. 18 Louisville | 7:30 | ABC, Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit
Texas State at UL Monroe | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU, Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer
Louisiana Tech at Southern Miss | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN2, Dave Pasch, Mike Golic
Wake Forest at NC State | 8 p.m. | ACC Network, Dave O’Brien, Tim Hasselbeck
Abilene Christian at UTEP | 9 p.m. | ESPN3, Erik Elken, Trevor Vittatoe