Week #7, College football; Brando shares thoughts on colleagues; No Noah Eagle on NBC’s ND-USC

Doubling up to call football 🏈 whether CFB or the NFL, or a combination of both is not something that happens often, but when it does, it’s challenging, but once the prep is completed it’s a ton of fun. I prescribe to the theory that if the particular network believes it’s not an issue for you and your team it’s a quiet compliment.

This is one of these weekends our second such example, after a Friday, Saturday turnaround 3 weeks ago, covering 3 time zones in the BIG TEN, and PAC12, but this time we’re coming off the most exciting and exhilarating finish of any game at any level that Spencer Tillman and I have ever called.

It was last night. In the last 12 seconds, there were two touchdowns produced with both agony and ecstasy, exchanging sidelines on two pass plays that covered fifty and forty-nine yards respectively and the final one a Hail Mary answered on a tip drill worked to perfection. As the story ended, Houston beat West Virginia 41-39 on Fox’ FS1.

Our crew then bounded for Corvallis Oregon(as of this writing)#17 UCLA at #14 Oregon St, Saturday night on FOX. Further proof that CFB always delivers and while our two matchups are incredible, many others televised by my colleagues this weekend will be epic.

Our game will be airing against Notre Dame-USC, two of college football’s arguably biggest brands. I will neither take umbrage if some viewers choose it, but I’d highly recommend two sets on if you’re a junkie, and former Cowboys’ HC and Troy Aikman backup QB Jason Garrett is a solid new talent. My old friend and Broadcast HOFer Fred Gaudelli championed Jason’s growth at NBC. It’ll be an honor to share primetime airwaves with Jac Collinsworth. (Son of Cris). He and Garrett are at ND.  

An old SEC rivalry that’s a bit under the radar this week is Auburn at LSU. Historically speaking these two may not matchup in your minds quite like Bama/LSU in November and their Games of the Century Spence and I were part of our CBS days, but Auburn’s a team on the come! Just ask Georgia who squeaked by them at Auburn two weeks ago. Joe Tessitore should get another drama filled tilt as the lights come on at dusk in Tiger Stadium in my home state (Louisiana). Hugh Freeze at Auburn has resurrected his SEC Coaching career and that’s not an easy feat given what he went through exiting Ole Miss, and while LSU’s offense guided by Jaden Daniels is explosive their D is just questionable enough to get burned on the Bayou!

I love listening to my young FOX colleague at Jason Benetti who’s extraordinarily gifted and quick witted, coupled with Brock Huard who even without being a former outstanding College QB would be a top tier talent anyway. Those guys are a great team. Those two are developing a kind of chemistry that I’d like to think Spencer and I have had for a generation. They get a BIG 10 Trophy game on FOX as Iowa visits Wisconsin at Camp Randall, and with apologies to our Lead team, Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt who get ratings’ monsters. Think Michigan with Indiana, the better matchup follows, BIG NOON this weekend. The winner of the Hawkeyes/Badgers likely will represent the West in the BIG 10 Title game on December 2nd.