Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Today Is Big Day For College Football

Aired December 06, 2003 - 12:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, in sports it is a case of quality over quantity in today's college football action. CNN Sports Correspondent Matt Morrison is in to set the scene. One of the bigger games going on, just about a block down the road at the Georgia Dome today?
MATT MORRISON, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, geeze, right underneath us right now there is a ton of people already hooping it up for tonight's S.E.C. championship game.

But it is the last regular season Saturday of the college football season. Only six games on the schedule and four of them have a direct impact on the national championship picture.

Not the least of which is tonight's Big 12 Championship game, which features top-ranked Oklahoma in action against Kansas State. That contest being played in Kansas City, an it is an Oklahoma home game, figure that. It is the front-runners having to take care of business here, and Oklahoma in control as the Sooner's need a strong finish in tonight's Big 12 title game. Even an upset by Kansas State would not necessarily knock the Sooners off the national championship run.

At the same time, tonight, L.S.U. meets Georgia in the S.E.C. Championship game, the biggest game for the Tigers in decades. Really it is a rematch of a game in October when L.S.U. won a tight one in Baton Rouge. A decisive win tonight in Atlanta, could help L.S.U. vault over Southern Cal and into the Sugar Bowl, but defending Conference champion Georgia will have a whole lot to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK SABAN, L.S.U. HEAD COACH: It's not like it would be the upset of the century or something. Two really good football teams that have a lot of good football players who have play with a lot of consistency.

MARK RICHT, GEORGIA HEAD COACH: It's an event. It is more than just a game. It feels a lot more like a B.C.S. Bowl than anything else. It's a big-time game and to be able to try to defend the title is more than we probably could have asked for.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MORRISON: Yes, Renay, the B.C.S. twist in this one is that even if L.S.U. wins it, it hurts their own strength of schedule component. To counter that the Tigers will be rooting hard for Syracuse to beat Notre Dame today and that will also be the case for Southern Cal, as they will be rooting for the Irish, probably for the first time ever in U.S.C. history.

They the Trojans strength of schedule will be boosted by a Notre Dame win. And, of course, Southern Cal must take care of it's own business as Oregon State comes to the L.A. Coliseum. Don't be certain about this one just yet, as the upset Mighty (ph) Beavers are 7-4 this season. And statistically that team has the best defense in the Pac-10 (ph) even better than Southern Cal.

So, a lot of games on the schedule means something today, even though there's only six games.

SAN MIGUEL: Well, as Mark Richt, from Georgia, said, you know, today could be the Bowl Game for a lot of these teams.

MORRISON: Absolutely. We'll find out by Sunday evening where everybody's going. The wins and losses today will really be able to add up the National Championship picture.

Oklahoma, Southern Cal in the driver's seat, wins by those two teams, we should see them in the Sugar Bowl.

SAN MIGUEL: All right, thanks for clearing up the picture for us.

MORRISON: All right, Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Enjoy the day.

MORRISON: My pleasure.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired December 6, 2003 - 12:54   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, in sports it is a case of quality over quantity in today's college football action. CNN Sports Correspondent Matt Morrison is in to set the scene. One of the bigger games going on, just about a block down the road at the Georgia Dome today?
MATT MORRISON, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, geeze, right underneath us right now there is a ton of people already hooping it up for tonight's S.E.C. championship game.

But it is the last regular season Saturday of the college football season. Only six games on the schedule and four of them have a direct impact on the national championship picture.

Not the least of which is tonight's Big 12 Championship game, which features top-ranked Oklahoma in action against Kansas State. That contest being played in Kansas City, an it is an Oklahoma home game, figure that. It is the front-runners having to take care of business here, and Oklahoma in control as the Sooner's need a strong finish in tonight's Big 12 title game. Even an upset by Kansas State would not necessarily knock the Sooners off the national championship run.

At the same time, tonight, L.S.U. meets Georgia in the S.E.C. Championship game, the biggest game for the Tigers in decades. Really it is a rematch of a game in October when L.S.U. won a tight one in Baton Rouge. A decisive win tonight in Atlanta, could help L.S.U. vault over Southern Cal and into the Sugar Bowl, but defending Conference champion Georgia will have a whole lot to say about that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK SABAN, L.S.U. HEAD COACH: It's not like it would be the upset of the century or something. Two really good football teams that have a lot of good football players who have play with a lot of consistency.

MARK RICHT, GEORGIA HEAD COACH: It's an event. It is more than just a game. It feels a lot more like a B.C.S. Bowl than anything else. It's a big-time game and to be able to try to defend the title is more than we probably could have asked for.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MORRISON: Yes, Renay, the B.C.S. twist in this one is that even if L.S.U. wins it, it hurts their own strength of schedule component. To counter that the Tigers will be rooting hard for Syracuse to beat Notre Dame today and that will also be the case for Southern Cal, as they will be rooting for the Irish, probably for the first time ever in U.S.C. history.

They the Trojans strength of schedule will be boosted by a Notre Dame win. And, of course, Southern Cal must take care of it's own business as Oregon State comes to the L.A. Coliseum. Don't be certain about this one just yet, as the upset Mighty (ph) Beavers are 7-4 this season. And statistically that team has the best defense in the Pac-10 (ph) even better than Southern Cal.

So, a lot of games on the schedule means something today, even though there's only six games.

SAN MIGUEL: Well, as Mark Richt, from Georgia, said, you know, today could be the Bowl Game for a lot of these teams.

MORRISON: Absolutely. We'll find out by Sunday evening where everybody's going. The wins and losses today will really be able to add up the National Championship picture.

Oklahoma, Southern Cal in the driver's seat, wins by those two teams, we should see them in the Sugar Bowl.

SAN MIGUEL: All right, thanks for clearing up the picture for us.

MORRISON: All right, Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Enjoy the day.

MORRISON: My pleasure.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com