ORLANDO — Urban Meyer stood on the stage, turned his phone horizontally and panned the crowd from right to left.
Even the national championship-winning coach had to capture this scene.
FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff hit UCF ahead of Saturday’s showdown between the Knights and the Colorado Buffaloes. It was the program’s first time airing from a Florida university, and it did not disappoint.
The network announced the crowd as the largest in show history.
“It’s awesome to see how Knight nation delivers on things like this,” UCF athletics chief brand officer Jimmy Skiles said.
Big Noon Kickoff scouted UCF ahead of Week 5
FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff broadcasts from a Florida school for the first time ahead of UCF’s game against Colorado, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando.
UCF-Colorado was on FOX’s short list of potential destinations heading into the Knights’ game against TCU, a 35-34 win two weeks ago. Network officials visited campus for a site tour on Sept. 18 while UCF enjoyed its bye.
Meanwhile, Colorado snuck past Baylor last Saturday, only adding to the matchup’s intrigue with a game-tying Hail Mary in the final seconds before clinching a victory in overtime.
Skiles watched the Buffaloes from a tent at Fort Wilderness. He pulled the contest up on his phone with his son already sleeping next to him.
“I’m thinking, if Colorado loses, we’re probably out of the picture for this,” Skiles said. “Then, they get that (dramatic win), and I’m like, ‘Ahhhh.’”
FOX revealed Orlando as its landing spot hours later on Sunday.
What Big Noon Kickoff looked like at UCF
The show runs from 10 a.m. to noon, but fans packed Memory Mall on UCF’s campus well before that. They endured temperatures in the high 80s and 80% humidity that caused panelist Mark Ingram to sweat through his suit.
Those in attendance didn’t…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/energy-excitement-foxs-big-noon-205140693.html
Author : Daytona Beach News-Journal
Publish date : 2024-09-28 20:51:40
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