ESPN GameDay host: UM turnover chain ‘really cool.’ Thankfully, no more FSU backpack
ESPN’s immensely popular College GameDay will air live Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon on the Hard Rock Stadium grounds for the big Florida State-Miami game later that night.
And thankfully, according to the opinion of GameDay host Rece Davis, there will be no Seminoles’ turnover backup should FSU get a takeaway during the game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. (ABC).
Davis was on a Zoom videoconference Friday afternoon, and asked what he thought of UM’s turnover chain and how so many college football teams have now adopted turnover gimmicks of their own. Last year, FSU had a backpack, which was mocked unmercifully by other college football fans.
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,’’ Davis said, “and if you’re going to imitate the turnover chain, let’s not do a backpack like Florida State did, and let’s not do a garbage can like Tennessee tried to do years ago. Those were bad, bad ideas.
“I think the days of coaches saying, ‘You can’t have fun, this is football’ [are] over. It lets the guys have some fun and express some individuality. I’ve known [UM coach] Manny [Diaz] for a number of years. And as soon as i saw the turnover chain and heard it was his his idea, I was like, ‘Yeah..that’s Manny. That’s about right.’
“I think it’s cool...I think they’ve done it better than everybody else’s.
“I’ll be honest,’’ David added. “I like the turnover chain way better than I like ‘The Crib’ thing. But I guess the offense has to have fun too. So, it’s OK with me. But The turnover chain is cool and the way they keep updating it and making it bigger and flashier — it really fits with the history of the program. I think it’s really cool.. I love it.’’
The new turnover chain’s design outlines the state of Florida with a “U” superimposed over it. The important detail: Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties are highlighted with green and orange gems.
“The ice is nice,” UM cornerback Al Blades said after earning the first chain of 2020 against Louisville. “The whole theme of the chain is to really emphasize us taking over South Florida.”
‘The Crib’ thing of which Davis speaks are the touchdown rings, one for each hand, that players get when a touchdown is scored. This year’s version spells out ‘The Crib.’
New FSU coach Mike Norvell, who will not be at the game Saturday because he tested positive for the coronavirus, decided before the season that the Seminoles would have no turnover props this season.
GameDay info
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, no spectators are allowed to congregate for the GameDay show. This is the second consecutive week that GameDay, also joined by Desmond Howard, David Pollack, Maria Taylor, Chris Fallica and Lee Corso remotely, will air from a Hurricanes game.
Color analyst/GameDay host Kirk Herbstreit posted a video late Friday afternoon on Twitter saying he “came in contact with the virus’’ and “would not be able to go on the road’’ to the Miami game. Herbstreit said he will still be on GameDay and still call the game for ABC remotely from his home. Play-by-play broadcaster Chris Fowler will be at Hard Rock Stadium.
“I think it’s a time to take an abundance of caution, follow the protocols and do what we need to do,’’ Herbstreit. “I tested negative twice this week. So, all is well.”
This will be the first time College GameDay has come to Miami since 2017, when UM dominated Notre Dame at Hard Rock.
Some trivia provided by ESPN for GameDay fans who will be tuning in Saturday:
▪ This is the eighth time the show has been to a Miami vs. Florida State game (The record for most matchups visited by GameDay is 11 — Alabama vs. LSU)
▪ It’s the first time the show has been at a game featuring a ranked Miami team and an unranked Florida State team.
▪ Miami has won four of the previous seven games against FSU with GameDay in town.
▪ This is GameDay’s eighth trip to Miami — the Canes are 6-1 in the previous seven instances.
▪ Corso has picked Miami eight times and is 6-2 with those eight picks. He is 5-7 all-time when picking against the Canes. He has picked against the Seminoles eight times — and is 6-2 when donning the headgear of FSU’s opponent, including being right five consecutive times.
▪ This will be headgear pick 352 for Corso, who will attempt to start the year with three straight headgear wins for the second time in three years.
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 3:16 PM.
