The Georgia Bulldogs have played 54 times on ESPN the past 15 football seasons, including four games in a row in 1996.
But never in April.
That will change Saturday when the cable network televises the G-Day spring game, beginning at 1 p.m. Brad Nessler will handle play-by-play duties and Kirk Herbstreit will provide color analysis at Sanford Stadium.
“To have our spring game on national television is certainly great for our program,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “I think it speaks to the interest in our program not only within the state and regionally, but also nationally. We are looking forward to it.”
ESPN televised Florida’s spring game last year and is scheduled to be at Alabama’s A-Day game next week.
Georgia associate athletic director Claude Felton said the network typically requests 100 to 110 credentials for a regular-season game but has asked for 65 to 70 this week. Felton does not believe ESPN will have as many cameras at G-Day, which will consist of 8- or 10-minute quarters, but said the in-game telecast will be unique.
“Coach Richt may do an interview with them during the game, and they might interview (senior defensive tackle) Jeff Owens or somebody else,” he said. “There may be some interviews mingled in throughout game that normally you wouldn’t see.”
The Bulldogs have played as many as five times a season on ESPN but were on only once last year, the 41-30 home loss to Alabama. That matchup of undefeated top-10 teams resulted in an issuing of 700 overall credentials, including 180 field passes for photographers.
Felton said that was the biggest media request in Sanford history.
Odds and ends
The Red team at G-Day will consist of the No. 1 offense and No. 2 defense, while the Black will contain the No. 2 offense and No. 1 defense. ... Owens and junior linebacker Rennie Curran are on the watch list for the Lott Trophy, which has been awarded since 2004, when Bulldogs defensive end David Pollack won it. ... G-Day festivities will begin at 10:15 a.m. when about 80 lettermen from six decades take part in a flag football game.
David Paschall is a sports writer for the Times Free Press. He started at the Chattanooga Free Press in 1990 and was part of the Times Free Press when the paper started in 1999. David covers University of Georgia football, as well as SEC football recruiting, SEC basketball, Chattanooga Lookouts baseball and other sports stories. He is a Chattanooga native and graduate of the Baylor School and Auburn University. David has received numerous honors for ...
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