HBO announced a new, all-access college football series titled 24/7 College football, chronicling Arizona State, Florida, Penn State and Washington State in-season beginning in October.
The four-part documentary will showcase the lives of head coaches Dan Mullen, James Franklin, Herm Edwards and Mike Leach, along with players and assistant coaches, all over a one week period during the regular season, according to a press release.
“For many years, we have been enamored with the storylines and unrivaled traditions of college football, and we’re excited for the opportunity to expand the 24/7 franchise into the realm of college sports,” said HBO executive producer Rick Bernstein.
“Viewers will feel the tremendous electricity of some of the best atmospheres in the country, and see the meticulous preparation and challenges facing these programs in the build-up to gameday and during the game action. We are excited for the challenge of delivering a four-part series of four different college programs over a four-week period with the production values and storytelling associated with our 24/7 franchise.”
The first episode will focus on the University of Florida, chronicling the week leading up to the Gators’ game against Towson on September 28, and will air at 10 p.m. ET October 2. The next episodes will feature Penn State on Oct. 9 at 10 p.m, leading up to the Nittany Lions game against Purdue; Arizona State on Oct. 16 preceding the game against Washington State; and will conclude on Oct. 23 with Leach and his Washington State program leading up to its game against Colorado.
HBO’s NFL series, Hard Knocks, and the 24/7 series in boxing, hockey, golf and NASCAR, have all given fans a behind-the-scenes look at various athletes and programs and now the network is hoping to see similar success in college football.
“This is an exciting new chapter for 24/7,” said HBO Sports Vice President and Senior Producer Bentley Weiner. “We will have camera crews embedded with each team for one week of their respective seasons, with edit rooms running simultaneously in New York, to give viewers a revealing and timely look at what goes on behind the scenes at some of the most interesting programs in college football. We’re thrilled to have a representative from the SEC, Big Ten and two Pac-12 schools as part of this new initiative.”