Pennslyvania Station Carried Husker Game

More than a couple Nebraska football fans wondered why an ABC affiliate in the middle of Big 10 Conference territory was carrying last Saturday's Nebraska-Iowa State football game, which was provided as "regional coverage" by ABC Sports.

It turns out there is a connection to the Cornhusker State involved, but that's not the reason WHTM (ABC 27) in Harrisburg, Pa., broadcast the game.

The station's sports director, Gregg Mace, is a Baltimore native who attended Syracuse University. But his first job (in radio) was at KHAS (1230 AM) in Hastings before becoming ABC 27's first weekend sportscaster when the station began its weekend newscasts in 1979.

"Even though we are in Penn State territory, we have a diverse audience when it comes to college football," Mace said. "It was my thought that we do have a fair number of Nebraska fans in Central Pennslyvania."

Mace said he received a number of e-mails from Nebraska football fans thanking him for the decision to carry the Husker game, rather than the California-Oregon contest, which most of the East Coast received.