Early SEC, ACC College Football Selections for 2008

June 3, 2008 -- Several college football matchups have been determined involving SEC and ACC teams for telecasts in 2008 on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com. Highlights include:

* Saturday Night Football on ABC, the first weekly college football primetime series on broadcast television, will kick off its third season with Alabama vs. Clemson at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on August 30 at 8 p.m. ET. The showdown between SEC and ACC power programs will mark the first meeting between the schools since 1975. Another Saturday Night Football telecast will pit defending SEC East Champion Georgia at Arizona State, coming off a 10-3 season and a Holiday Bowl appearance, on September 20 at 8 p.m.

* Defending National Champion LSU will host Appalachian State from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 5 p.m. on ESPN. Appalachian State upset Michigan 34-32 in last year’s opening weekend game.

* Virginia will host defending Rose Bowl champion USC from the Pac-10 in the first meeting between the schools on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 3:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN2.

* Florida, led by 2007 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow, will host Miami Saturday, Sept. 6, at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Miami has won its last six games against Florida (2002-2004, 2000, 1986-87).

* ESPNU will televise Maryland against Delaware, who lost to Appalachian State in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision title game, Saturday, Aug. 30, at 3:45 p.m. It will mark the first meeting between the schools since 1948. In addition, ESPN or ESPN2 will televise Maryland against California, in the first meeting between the programs, Saturday, Sept. 13, at noon.

ESPNU will also televise Richmond, defending Colonial Athletic Association champions, at intrastate foe Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 3:45 p.m. Virginia won the last showdown in 2001, 17-16.

Date Time (ET) Network Game
Thu., Aug. 28 7 p.m. ESPNU Vanderbilt at Miami (Ohio) *
7:30 p.m. ESPN360.com Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech
7:30 p.m. ESPN360.com Charleston Southern at Miami
8 p.m. ESPN N.C. State at South Carolina *
Sat., Aug. 30 3:30 p.m. ABC (ESPN2) ~ USC at Virginia
3:45 p.m. ESPNU Delaware at Maryland
5 p.m. ESPN Appalachian St. at LSU
6:45 p.m. ESPN2 Mississippi State at Louisiana tech
8 p.m. ABC Alabama vs. Clemson (from Atlanta)
Sun., Aug. 31 3:30 p.m. ESPN Kentucky at Louisville *
Mon., Sept. 1 8 p.m. ESPN Tennessee at UCLA *
Thu., Sept. 4 8:30 p.m. ESPN South Carolina at Vanderbilt *

Sat., Sept. 6 3:30 p.m. ABC (ESPN2) ~ Mississippi at Wake Forest
3:30 p.m. ESPN360.com The Citadel at Clemson
3:45 p.m. ESPNU Richmond at Virginia
8 p.m. ESPN Miami at Florida
Sat., Sept. 13 noon ESPN or ESPN2 California at Maryland
noon ESPNU Navy at Duke
3:30 p.m. ABC Arkansas at Texas *
3:30 p.m. ABC (ESPN) ~ Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech
3:45 p.m. ESPNU Chattanooga at Florida State
7 p.m. ESPN2 Auburn at Mississippi State
Sat., Sept. 20 8 p.m. ABC Georgia at Arizona State *
Thu., Oct. 23 7:30 p.m. ESPN Auburn at West Virginia *

* Previously announced

~ Game will be part of a split national telecast and available on ESPN or ESPN2 in markets receiving second game (to be announced)

Source: ESPN