Time and Network for ESPN’s 2014 Season-Opening Neutral Site College Football Schedule
ESPN has finalized its telecast schedule for five neutral site college football matchups that will open the 2014 season. The lineup will showcase five teams ranked in an early ESPN.com preseason top 25 poll for 2014 on Saturday, Aug. 30: an ABC doubleheader involving No. 1 Florida State and No. 2 Alabama, No. 14 Wisconsin vs. No. 13 LSU on ESPN, and No. 24 Central Florida from Dublin, Ireland on ESPN2. Additional games will be announced in the coming months. Highlights:
- ESPN and ABC will combine to televise both Kickoff Game matchups from Atlanta beginning with Boise State vs. Ole Miss on Thursday, Aug. 28, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. The second game in three days will pit West Virginia vs. No. 2 Alabama on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 3:30 p.m. on ABC and ESPN2. Both games will mark the first meeting between the teams. West Virginia will play in its first Kickoff Game while Alabama will make its fourth appearance, winning their previous three.
- The weekly Saturday Night Football series on ABC will open the season with defending National Champion No. 1 Florida State against Oklahoma State in the Cowboys Classic from Arlington, Texas at 8 p.m. on August 30. It will mark the fifth meeting between the schools and the first since the 1985 Gator Bowl.
- ESPN will showcase a Big Ten vs. SEC contest pitting No. 14 Wisconsin against No. 13 LSU in the Texas Kickoff from Houston on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 9 p.m. LSU won the only two previous games against Wisconsin (1971 and 1972).
- ESPN2 will televise Penn State vs. No. 24 Central Florida in the Croke Park Classic from Dublin, Ireland on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 8:30 a.m.
ESPN’s industry-leading game and studio coverage will begin with the first televised game (Sam Houston State at Eastern Washington in the new FCS Kickoff on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) and conclude with the new College Football Playoff Championship Game from Arlington, Texas (Monday, Jan. 12 on ESPN).
2014 Neutral Site Schedule (as of April 16)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Thu, Aug 28 | 8 p.m. | Kickoff Game: Boise State vs. Ole Miss | ESPN |
| Sat, Aug 30 | 8:30 a.m. | 2014 Croke Park Classic: Penn State vs. No. 24 Central Florida * | ESPN2 |
| 3:30 p.m. | Kickoff Game: West Virginia vs. No. 2 Alabama | ABC and ESPN2 | |
| 8 p.m. | Cowboys Classic: No. 1 Florida State vs. Oklahoma State | ABC | |
| 9 p.m. | Texas Kickoff: No. 14 Wisconsin vs. No. 13 LSU | ESPN |
* Previously announced