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