FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 19th, 2013
NO. 21 NOTRE DAME HOSTS UNDEFEATED MICHIGAN STATE SATURDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET ON NBC
Rivals Collide as Fighting Irish Host Undefeated Spartans in Battle for the Megaphone Trophy
Notre Dame Pre-Game Show Countdown To Kickoff Begins
At 3 P.M. ET Live From Notre Dame Stadium on NBCSN
STAMFORD, Conn. – September 19, 2013 – NBC Sports Group’s 23rd season broadcasting Notre Dame Football continues from Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET with Countdown To Kickoff, NBC Sports Group’s live on-site pre-game show on NBCSN, followed by No. 21 Notre Dame hosting undefeated Michigan State at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and starting QB Tommy Rees lead the Fighting Irish (2-1), who are coming off of a 31-24 come-from-behind victory over Purdue, against QB Connor Cook and the Michigan State Spartans (3-0) in the 77th meeting between the two schools. Notre Dame has claimed the Megaphone Trophy with wins in its last two games against rival Michigan State, including a 20-3 victory in East Lansing, Mich. last year. The series stands 47-28-1 in Notre Dame’s favor.
Dan Hicks, NBC Sports Group’s longtime and critically-acclaimed golf and Olympic commentator, will provide the play-by-play of Saturday’s action from Notre Dame Stadium. Hicks will be joined by Emmy Award-nominated analyst Mike Mayock and sideline reporter Alex Flanagan.
Liam McHugh will host Countdown To Kickoff from the field at Notre Dame Stadium. He will be joined on-site by 1984 Heisman Trophy-winner Doug Flutie and two-time Super Bowl champion Hines Ward. McHugh, Flutie and Ward will also manage halftime and post-game coverage for the broadcast.
NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA ONLINE & APP: NBC Sports Live Extra — the NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets — will stream all Notre Dame Football home games.
For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
NBC Sports Live Extra online will feature a simulcast of the broadcast feed in full HD quality plus one additional online-only bonus camera. The video player will include picture-in-picture capability and full DVR functionality, allowing the user to pause the live video and even review plays in “slo-mo.”
Sideline reporter Alex Flanagan will provide live in-game tweets. Additionally, fans can watch in-game highlights, live coverage of the Notre Dame and visiting teams’ bands at halftime, as well as live postgame footage that will include head coach Brian Kelly’s press conference.
NBCSPORTS.com
NBCSports.com will again continue its Notre Dame Football coverage though its Notre Dame Central section. Notre Dame will also be featured within NBC Sports Talk with its popular Inside The Irish blog written by Notre Dame Football insider Keith Arnold.
COMCAST SPORTSNET CHICAGO
Beginning this season, NBC Sports Regional Networks’ Comcast SportsNet Chicago will join forces with NBC Sports to help power NBCSports.com’s “Notre Dame Central” (http://www.nbcsports.com/college-football/notre-dame-central). CSN Chicago will contribute a dedicated Notre Dame Football “Insider” in JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) from CSNChicago.com, who will serve as a beat reporter providing up-to-the-minute Fighting Irish news and analysis, columns, game previews/recaps, interviews and much more.
Fans can also follow the network’s @IrishTalkCSN Twitter handle for the latest Fighting Irish news and updates 24/7. Also this season, CSN Chicago will provide its TV viewers with same day replays of every Notre Dame home game produced by NBC Sports beginning Saturday, August 31, along with a CSNChicago.com live stream of Head Coach Brian Kelly’s weekly press conferences. In addition, Comcast SportsNet Chicago has also hired Tony Rice, quarterback of the 1988 National Champion Fighting Irish, to be its ND Football on-air/online contributor throughout the upcoming college football season.
Following is the NBC Sports Group 2013 Notre Dame Football schedule (all times ET)
| Date | Opponent | Pre-Game | Network | Game Time | Network |
| Saturday, Sept. 21 | Michigan State | 3 p.m. | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. | NBC |
| Saturday, Sept. 28 | Oklahoma | 3 p.m. | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. | NBC |
| Saturday, Oct. 5 | Arizona State* | 7 p.m. | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. | NBC |
| Saturday, Oct. 19 | USC | 6:30 p.m. | NBCSN | 7:30 p.m. | NBC |
| Saturday, Nov 2 | Navy | 3 p.m. | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. | NBC |
| Saturday, Nov 23 | BYU | 3 p.m. | NBCSN | 3:30 p.m. | NBC |
*Off-site Shamrock Series game from Arlington, Texas.
In addition to its Notre Dame coverage, NBC Sports Group will also air Ivy League Football action on NBCSN at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday when Princeton hosts Lehigh. Randy Moss (play-by-play) and Ross Tucker (analyst) will have the call from Princeton Stadium in Princeton, N.J.
For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com
–NBC SPORTS GROUP–
