CBS drew a 3.7 overnight rating for Alabama's 24-10 win over LSU on Saturday night, marking the annual matchup's lowest figure in at least a decade. While down from recent years, the matchup still delivered college football's best overnight for Week 10. Last year's Alabama-LSU game delivered a 6.0 overnight. The game moved to primetime in '10. The game in '09 in the 3:30pm ET window drew a 4.4 overnight. Meanwhile, Iowa's upset win over Ohio State in the 3:30pm window on ESPN was Week 10's second-best figure at a 2.5 overnight. ABC's Virginia Tech-Miami matchup in primetime on Saturday drew a 2.2 overnight. FS1 carried Oklahoma-Oklahoma State at 3:30pm on Saturday, and the net's 1.6 overnight was its best for any CFB game this season to date (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
STUDIO CITY: In San Jose, Jon Wilner wrote he is an "unabashed fan of the Pac-12 Networks’ football studio shows." Wilner: "In each case, I’m entertained and I learn something. Not a week goes by, in fact, that I don’t wish the Pac12Nets had more football studio content." All the analysts are "informed, all of them work well together, and all of them are as candid as could be expected when the situation requires it." Hosts Mike Yam and Ashley Adamson "keep the shows moving when they need moving and stay out of the way when they should." Analyst Curtis Conway, "perhaps more than anyone, has grown into his elevated role" in the post-Rick Neuheisel era (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 11/4).
BIG SHOES TO FILL: SI.com's Richard Deitsch noted Brad Nessler came into this season as Verne Lundquist’s replacement as CBS’ lead voice for SEC Football and the issue for him was "never going to be the game calling." What Nessler had to figure out was "how to get the CBS crew to accept him as one of their own." Nessler said, "I’m probably more like Verne than people realize. ... We have been friends for a long time and I know his personality and how he treats people. There are a lot of broadcasters in the business who just hang around with the analyst or producers but they don’t get into the crew. I get into the crew and have always been that way. ... They know the affection I have for Verne is true, so it has been an easy transition." CBS analyst Gary Danielson said, "Brad has done a great job showing genuine respect for Verne and the fabulous job he did for the SEC" (SI.com, 11/3).
NOT HOLDING BACK: In N.Y., Bob Raissman noted Fox CFB analyst Joel Klatt "doesn’t tread lightly." After Ohio State was "called for a delay of game" last week against Penn State, he "didn’t hesitate to take down" OSU coach Urban Meyer. Klatt said, "That is a coaching error" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/5).
