CBS Sports kicks off its 12^th season of national coverage of SEC football with the “Game of the Week” on Saturday, Sept. 15 (3:30-7:00 PM, ET) with *#1-ranked Alabama taking on Arkansas.

           Verne Lundquist and Gary Danielson, CBS Sports’ lead college football announce team call the action with Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sidelines from Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. Craig Silver, the Network’s coordinating producer of college football, produces and Steve Milton directs.

           COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game, halftime and post-game studio show returns with host Tim Brando, Spencer Tillman and “Mr. College Football” Tony Barnhart. COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY (3:00 PM, ET) keeps viewers updated on all the games throughout the afternoon with scores and highlights. Leading off the day (2:30 PM, ET) is a CBS COLLEGE FOOTBALL SPECIAL, which provides a comprehensive look at the biggest storylines and news of the 2012 season. Vin DeVito produces and Linda Malino directs.

        After CBS Sports’ live SEC game coverage each Saturday throughout the season, CBS SPORTS NETWORK takes over with SEC TONIGHT (7:00-8:00 PM, ET), providing a recap of all the news, scores and highlights from around the SEC.

        In addition, CBS Sports will stream the Alabama-Arkansas game, as well as the entire 2012 SEC on CBS football schedule live on CBSSports.com. The games are available exclusively on CBSSports.com, CBS Sports Mobile and can also be accessed through a link on the websites of all CBS affiliates.  New this season as part of CBSSports.com’s SEC coverage are live pre-game, half-time and post-game shows originating from the site’s Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. studio. The post-game show will feature a weekly interview with Danielson. 

*AP Poll as of 9/9/12

AUDIBLES with CBS Sports’ Lead College Football Analyst Gary Danielson

(On Alabama vs. Arkansas)

It’s a tough matchup for Arkansas, even if Tyler Wilson was healthy for this game, even if Bobby Petrino was calling the plays. It’s a tough matchup because Arkansas has not proven that they can block Alabama’s front seven and protect the quarterback. But we should get Arkansas’s best shot – they should be a desperate team, they should be playing for almost their whole season here, and if they’re going to play a great game, this should be the one they play.

(On Alabama QB A.J. McCarron as a Heisman contender)

A.J. has always had a ton of talent. You couldn’t help but notice on the practice field, even when he wasn’t a player, that he had a boatload of talent, way more talent than the last two guys that played there – John Parker Wilson and Greg McElroy – just raw, physical talent.  He was brought along slowly last year because Alabama was able to play defense and run the ball, and the quarterback LSU faced at the championship game was a much different quarterback than everyone faced in the first six games. I have him and Zach Mettenberger as my two dark horses to win the Heisman. The way those teams are primed to meet each other and the way those two quarterbacks can play, I think they both have a good shot at it.

(On Steve Spurrier’s success at South Carolina)

I’m more impressed with the job Steve Spurrier has done at South Carolina than his career at Florida.  The way he’s been able to look at his talent, the way he’s been able to attract talent and the way he’s been able to play to his defense.  He has shown all coaches that he is willing to bend to win games.  His goal is to win, not prove to everybody that Spurrier’s fun and gun is still the way to go.  There is a lot of temptation to do that as a coach, to prove to everybody that you’re the smartest guy on the field. I think his patience and being able to go with what he’s got has been tremendous.

(On Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter)

Justin Hunter would be a tough matchup in the NFL, let alone college football.  He is like A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Rueben Randle, the high-level players. 

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Media Contact:         

Dan Sabreen, 212-975-5936, dsabreen@cbs.com