In ESPN first, Auburn becomes only school to have 3 alums call same football game
Here’s one for all you sports trivia junkies.
Name the only school to have three alums call a football game together on an ESPN broadcast.
The answer?
Auburn.
The Tigers were well-represented on Sunday during ESPN2′s XFL broadcast of San Antonio and Houston. Cole Cubelic, Dawn Davenport and Taylor Davis all graduated from The Plains. For extra credit, there was actually a fourth Auburn graduate working that game. Carlie Kaufusi was working in the truck.
“We ask our commentators and staffers to flag things for our department regularly: whether they’re being honored by an organization, sharing details about a passion project, notifying us about the newest member of their family, etc,” ESPN PR director Amanda Brooks told AL.com. “Cole reached out to me last week about the three of them calling the game together, and our team hit the ground running.”
While Ohio State alums Kirk Herbstreit and Joey Galloway have called a game together, an ESPN spokesperson confirms to AL.com Sunday’s game featured the most alums from any one school.
“For me, it’s always special to work with members of the Auburn family that walked similar paths,” Cubelic told AL.com on Monday. “The leadership inside the journalism program is so impressive. It’s a testament to John Carvalho, Rick Smith, Susan Filapelli and all the instructors who helped cultivate the talent that has come through Auburn.”
Cubelic graduated from Auburn in 2001, while Davenport (’02) and Davis (’14) followed. He knew the significance of the broadcast the moment the broadcasting schedule was released.
“We are all so fortunate to be able to cover these events and to share that bond during the same game was pretty cool.”
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.