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National Football League

College Football Rivalries and Network Showdown

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As college football season kicks off, networks ABC and NBC are ready to battle for top ratings, with ABC boasting strong regional packages and NBC featuring Notre Dame hosting defending co-national champion Michigan. Meanwhile, CBS's revamped "NFL Today" pregame show is looking to reclaim its legacy, while local radio stations WSB, WGST, and WCLK are offering their own unique takes on the season.

Key Takeaways:

  • Notre Dame's return to the option-style offense under quarterback Jarious Jackson raises questions about their ability to be a come-from-behind team.
  • NBC's coverage of the Notre Dame-Michigan game will be a crucial test for the network's football offerings, with a potential draw of 10 years' worth of magical games if the Irish regain their national championship form.
  • CBS's new "NFL Today" team, featuring hosts Jim Nantz and a cast of rookie analysts, is looking to revive the legacy of the classic show, despite facing established competition from Fox and ESPN.
  • Local radio stations WSB, WGST, and WCLK are offering unique coverage and commentary, including WSB's tailgate show with Larry Munson and Jim Donnan, and WCLK's Clark Atlanta football coverage sponsored by South DeKalb Mall.
  • Falcons flagship station WGST is introducing a new postgame show, "Falcon Afterplay," hosted by Bill Caiaccio and featuring former coach Leeman Bennett.
  • ABC's regional coverage of college football offers a strong local challenge, with Georgia Tech hosting Boston College at 3:30 p.m.

Statistics:

  • 10 years: The amount of time since Notre Dame last won a national championship under Tony Rice.
  • 3:30 p.m.: The start time of ABC's regional college football coverage and NBC's coverage of the Notre Dame-Michigan game.
  • 1 p.m.: Start time of the Braves game, coinciding with WSB's tailgate show on FM dial (98.5) at 2 p.m.
  • 5 p.m.: Start time of the game between Kent and Georgia on WSB's AM dial, unless the baseball game runs unusually long.

Sources:

  • "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution" - Saturday, September 5, 1998, sports section.

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