Big Audience Expected For LSU-Alabama Despite Afternoon Kickoff

Saturday will be the first time since '10 that CBS has not aired the annual LSU-Alabama game in primetime, but it still will likely draw the largest audience of the college football season despite its 3:30pm ET start time. The game has drawn more than 10 million viewers in six of its eight primetime appearances, which includes 20 million viewers for the hyped '11 game. That was the last time LSU and Alabama played each other in the regular season while occupying the top two spots in the AP poll. CBS before the start of the season decided to use its one primetime broadcast slot on September's Notre Dame-Georgia game (Smith & Karp, THE DAILY).

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PULLING OUT ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES: THE ATHLETIC's Richard Deitsch noted CBS has added a "roving, wireless RF camera that can operate anywhere" within Bryant-Denny Stadium, including "going partway into the locker room tunnels, and anywhere in the stands." CBS also has mounted a camera onto a cart that "can travel up and down the sidelines as play dictates and give viewers a great look at the players and coaches on the near sideline." Like many other telecasts, there will be a "blimp and pylon cameras." The net will have a one-hour pregame show beginning at 2:30pm with studio coverage live from inside the stadium. There will be a "desk at field level" with host Adam Zucker and analysts Rick Neuheisel and Brian Jones. Meanwhile, a CBS spokesperson said that the net currently has "no special plans regarding the possible appearance" of President Trump, who is expected to attend the game (THEATHLETIC.com, 11/7).