If you’re a college football fan, you surely don’t want to miss this pregame show. You can catch it on Fox Sports, Fox 2, and Fox Sports 1 (FS1). Although programming schedules may change, new episodes typically air on Saturdays at 12:00 p.m. ET or 9:00 a.m. PT. It’s also possible to watch the show online while on the go via YouTube TV, the Fox Sports app, and Fox online.
This article talks about where Fox films the pregame show, its premise, and who hosts it. You’ll also find out why it’s a good idea to rely on BuddyTV for information about movies, celebrity tidbits, and TV shows.
What Does FOX “Big Noon Kickoff” Talk About?
Hosted by Rob Stone alongside several panelists, this college football pregame show previews top matches from the Big Ten, Big 12, and Pac-12 conferences. You can expect the panel of experts to discuss everything that could determine the final result and the teams’ overall standing in a season. The “Big Noon Saturday matchup” segment provides detailed coverage.
Fox built the show around top college football talents who form part of the panelists, presenters, and hosts. These experts include title-winning coaches and Heisman finalists. This one-hour show comes with anecdotes to complement the analysis. What makes the program work is that it focuses on the week’s biggest matches. That way, the “Big Noon Kickoff crew” doesn’t have to rush through a dozen games in every episode.
Its producers want the show to appeal to everybody, grab the headlines, and go beyond the top three conferences. On top of that, Fox aims to keep the viewers wanting more.
Urban Meyer’s weekly coaching segment undoubtedly helps keep the viewers glued to the screen every Saturday. This segment focuses on interesting technical football topics. In the past, Meyer talked about the new versus old tackling tactics and how some tactics borrowed from rugby transformed American football. The segment also looks at how some techniques have supercharged the performance of teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes. Experts explain how some tactical changes lead to more running backs.
The show’s approach to pregame programming makes it easier to give you something that no other similar shows can. By going deeper into the mechanics of the game, including schemes and matchups, you can see college football differently.
You benefit from the talent depth that comes with the varied backgrounds of the “Big Noon Kickoff” crew. Some came from broadcasting environments where they talked about teams in greater detail. Joining the team at Fox’s premium pregame show helps boost the quality of analysis. The best part is that everyone on the show understands what the producers aim to achieve and the viewer’s expectations.
More importantly, the Fox college football show has figured out how to compete with the popular ESPN’s “College GameDay.” After signing primary rights with Big Ten, its viewership for noon games skyrocketed, starting with the matches involving Michigan vs. Ohio State and Michigan vs. Wisconsin.
Where Is FOX “Big Noon Kickoff” Filmed?
Although “Fox Big Noon Kickoff” usually broadcasts from Fox Sports’ Los Angeles studios, the show also gets filmed remotely. These on-location broadcasts occur at stadiums where college football teams play as a lead-in to major conference matches. In 2020, Fox slated four roadshows for pregame onsite broadcasts. The following year saw the show’s crew working on-location for the six weeks of the NFL season.
These are the roadshow locations where the show got filmed in the past.
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Cotton Bowl
- Ohio Stadium
- Michigan Stadium
- Lucas Oil Stadium
- Huntington Bank Stadium
- Camp Randall Stadium
When the crew is working outside the Los Angeles studios, it’s common to see the “Big Noon Kickoff” truck parked in or outside stadiums. In some cases, Fox invites fans to meet American football greats as part of the Discover Big Ten Experience. In October 2021, WWE Champion Big E (a former Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman) was a guest of honor on the show before Penn State took on Iowa.
Who Hosts FOX “Big Noon Kickoff”?
There’s a good selection of hosts and panelists appearing on “Big Noon Kickoff” to cover the big games, including the season playoffs. And Rob Stone is at the heart of the weekly broadcasts.
Joining Rob on the show are:
- Bob Stoops
- Reggie Bush
- Matt Leinart
- Brady Quinn
- Urban Meyer
Other notable personalities who’ve worked on “Big Noon Kickoff” include Clay Travis and former Michigan Wolverines cornerback Charles Woodson. The latter appeared on the show mainly when Michigan State had a game.
Here are a few quick facts about each crew member.
About Rob Stone
Stone has worked in broadcasting for many years since graduating from Colgate University in 1991. During his college days, he played soccer for the Raiders, becoming the team’s most valuable player and co-captain in his senior year. This background helped prepare him for a flourishing career in broadcasting. He previously served as a sports presenter for ESPN after starting as a production assistant. At that time, he was on ESPN’s SportsCenter and various other shows.
Rob later joined WFXL-TV in Albany, Georgia, where he served as a sports anchor and director before moving to Tampa, Florida, after joining WTOG in 1995. By January 2012, he finally made a move to Fox, becoming the lead studio host. During this period, the seasoned broadcaster focused mainly on soccer programs. Later, he got transferred to a role covering basketball and college football. Stone also covered Major League Baseball as a substitute host.
In August 2018, the veteran broadcaster returned to the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), where he focused on professional bowling events. This switch happened after PBA announced that Fox Sports would take over TV coverage for its 2019 events. ESPN previously filmed and broadcast the events.
About Bob Stoops
Born September 9, 1960, Robert Anthony Stoops played college football as a young man in the late seventies through early eighties, attending the University of Iowa. At the end of his playing days, he became a coach. Between 1999 and 2016, he served as the head coach at the University of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Sooners boasted a 191-48 record when Bob was at the helm. His 2000 team won the 2001 Orange Bowl, earning it a consensus national championship.
In 2020, he joined XFL as a head coach after spending some time with the Dallas Renegades. He received recognition for his coaching successes when he got inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021. When Stoops became an analyst on the “Big Noon Kickoff,” he replaced Urban Meyer, who left the show to join the Jacksonville Jaguars as a head coach.
Many experts welcomed his appointment, saying he was the right man to replace Meyer. Robert mentored countless Heisman trophy winners, and top draft picks. On top of that, he led teams in championship matches. His arrival helped Fox continue to improve the quality of content on “Big Noon Kickoff.” So, it’s no surprise that the show is among the most engaging and insightful pregame offerings on American TV screens.
About Reggie Bush
Born on March 2, 1985, Reginald Alfred Bush is a former college football player with an impressive record on the pitch. He won the Heisman Trophy and consensus All-American honors while at USC. It’s no wonder many people view him as one of the greatest college football players of all time. His successful playing career prepared him for television appearances as an analyst.
Additional accolades he received during his playing days include:
- 2005 Walter Camp Award
- Offensive Player of the Year (Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C. 2005)
- 2005 Doak Walker Award
- The “Best in College Football” in 2005-Sports Illustrated
About Matt Leinart
Like Reggie Bush, Matthew Stephen Leinart also played college football at the University of Southern California (USC). At the time, his dedication paid off in the form of the Heisman Trophy and a 2005 Orange Bowl victory. Unsurprisingly, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (2017). Eleven years before the induction, Leinart spent three seasons in a backup role for the Oakland Raiders and the Houston Texans.
His first career pass was a touchdown in a match that saw his team beat Auburn in a 23-0 victory. Along the way, he suffered several injuries but kept focusing on his future. Some of his honors include:
- Victor Award (Player of the Year)
- Rose Bowl MVP (after going 23-of-34 for 327 yards and catching a touchdown from a wide receiver)
- Rivals.com player of the year
- Touchdown Club QB of the Year
- ESPN.com player of the year
- Orange Bowl MVP
- Unitas Award
About Brady Quinn
Born on October 27, 1984, Brayden Tyler “Brady” Quinn played in the NFL as a quarterback for seven seasons. During this time, he got picked for the first round of the Cleveland Browns NFL Draft (2007). At Notre Dame, where he played college football, he got honored with a Maxwell Award. The star was a Bronco for two seasons after his transfer to Denver. From there, he moved to Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, and St. Louis Rams. Each of these teams had him for a year.
As for his analyst career, Quinn joined the “Big Noon Kickoff” crew in August 2019. In addition to that, he is the color analyst for Fox’s XFL, CFB, and NFL games. After two years at Fox, he started co-hosting the radio talk show “Outkick The Coverage with Jonas Knox.” He also does podcasts about NFL games and other sports.
About Urban Meyer
Meyer served as head coach of several top-flight teams between 2001 and 2019. These teams include Bowling Green Falcons, Utah Utes, Florida Gators, and Ohio State Buckeyes. After the Rose Bowl in 2019, he called it quits. He then joined “Big Noon Kickoff” while working as an assistant athletic director at Ohio State. In 2021, he decided to go back to coaching and joined the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, he didn’t last long on the team — he got fired after thirteen games.
Meanwhile, Fox Sports management is working behind the scenes to bring the veteran coach back to “Big Noon Kickoff.” At one time, Meyer served as an analyst and commentator at ESPN.
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