GameDay's Saturday routine

Guy Cipriano

Reprinted from Sunday, October 28, 2007

For the CDT/Steve Manuel

Thousands of Penn State football fans watched ESPN's Game Day crew broadcast live from outside the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State prior to the 2007 football game between Penn State and Ohio State. (For the CDT/Steve Manuel)

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UNIVERSITY PARK -- Lee Corso donned a Buckeye mask at 11:59 a.m. He received jeers. Kirk Herbstreit worked from the set of a game involving Ohio State. He received jeers.

For the recognizable duo, boos, taunts and chants represent part of the Saturday morning routine. As expected, Corso, Herbstreit and Chris Fowler's presence as part of ESPN's College GameDay broadcast created a stir around the massive set outside the Bryce Jordan Center.

A crowd of more than 10,000 fans, mostly students, attended the show's live broadcast. The highlight -- or lowlight, depending on the perspective -- arrived when Corso indicated his pick for the meeting between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 24 Penn State by wearing a "Brutus Buckeye" mask.

The pick didn't make Corso, 71, a popular figure in Centre County. Some fans hurled beer toward the former Louisville and Indiana coach who has worked for the show since its inception in 1987.

"I don't pay attention," Corso said. "I have an advantage over some people because I coached all those years. I have been on the sidelines, and I don't hear anything. Mentally, you block everything out. That's what I do when I'm up there. When I put the hat on, Chris said they threw some beer. I didn't see it."

Herbstreit can relate to Corso's dilemma. Herbstreit played quarterback for Ohio State from 1989-93 and still has strong ties to Columbus. He served as the analyst for ABC's live broadcast, so he wasn't forced to make a pregame prediction.

Still, wherever Game Day travels, Herbstreit, 38, hears about his Ohio State connections. He said he doesn't fret over perceptions as much as he did when he joined GameDay in 1996.

"Fans are so emotional and so opinionated," Herbstreit said. "Whatever you say they can't believe it whether it's for or against Ohio State. The one thing I have gotten to the point of doing is saying what I believe. You're going to get criticism. It's just like playing quarterback when you're at Ohio State. You're going to get it and some people are always going to be frustrated with whatever you say."

Herbstreit thought highly of Penn State entering the 2007 season. Last season's Outback Bowl victory over Tennessee convinced Herbstreit to select the Nittany Lions as his preseason Big Ten favorite and they entered his Top 5 after victories over Florida International, Notre Dame and Buffalo. Penn State's Big Ten title hopes crashed after consecutive losses at Michigan and Illinois.

Herbstreit said inconsistent road play by quarterback Anthony Morelli hurt the Nittany Lions against Illinois and Michigan. Morelli has thrown three touchdown passes and four interceptions in three road games.

"I thought the Outback Bowl was a springboard into this season especially for Anthony Morelli," Herbstreit said. "He has been erratic when they have been on the road at Michigan and Illinois. I think his play has been the thing I'm most surprised by. I thought he would be a little more consistent. If he happened to be consistent at Michigan and won that game, they probably carried that over and beat Illinois, and they probably would be coming into this game undefeated."

Herbstreit discussed Penn State's season during an interview after the show while the GameDay crowd dispersed to tailgate locations. His pregame plans included watching as many games as possible to formulate future opinions.

"I love the fans and I love their passion," Herbstreit said. "But I can't make my comments based on what fans are going to think. I base my comments off what I watch every Saturday when I watch dozens of games and by talking to coaches and players throughout the week. That's the only thing I can go by."