With the hurricane, or at least threat of one, causing multiple cancellations this weekend, ESPN had to scramble to fill their schedule. This allowed a few games originally planned for online only broadcasts to get promoted to real channels.
Yes, this is one of those "research" posts that won't matter in the grand scheme of things, but it's kind of fun for those of us interested in the broadcasting side of college football.
ESPN's original press release for week 3 games
ESPN's actual week 3 schedule
East Carolina at Virginia Tech was originally scheduled for 12:20 PM on the ACC Network. With that game cancelled, Raycom didn't have any game to syndicate this week. Local stations had to fill the void on their own. If last year is any indication, Raycom will likely double up later in the season and broadcast a noon and night game.
ESPNU was the hardest hit channel as its entire lineup of games was cancelled - UCF at UNC (noon), WVU at NC State (3:30), and Marshall at USCe (7:30).
ESPN2 was also hit hard as both of its later games were rescheduled - Georgia Southern at Clemson (3:30) and Middle Tennessee at Georgia (7:15). Both of those games were played at noon, and thus got moved to ESPNU and ESPNEWS, respectively.
To fill up the ESPN2 schedule, the worldwide leader in sports upgraded the Ohio "at" UVA game (moved to Vanderbilt Stadium) from ACC Network Extra (online only), as well as picking up the Louisiana at Mississippi State game from the SEC Network alternate feed.
ESPNU didn't have a game for the 3:30 slot, but picked up Oregon State at Nevada from ESPN3 for primetime.
And that is how two online only games and a sports network alternate game made it to "real" ESPN channels.
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