And according to Game Director Michael Frank, Fox will use 12, in various spots, for the upcoming playoff games this weekend.

That's what makes Friday night's Sugar Bowl pitting Utah against Alabama so special.

Fox will use 18 cameras at the Louisiana Superdome, including the overhead camera, seven cameras on the field, cameras in the endzone and the reverse camera that they typically use for replays and booth challenges.

Frank said the commitment to excellence, in what is a difficult economic time, is something he loves about Fox. He also said the difference maker, the cable cam, will also be employed.

"That's the game-changer for us," Frank said. "This is the one that makes the difference for us because it shows the game at so many unique angles. I'm really happy with our bosses for this one. Everybody is cutting back, but we were really committed to give our viewers the best product possible. We take the Sugar Bowl more seriously than a regular season NFL game. They could've told me to go and get it done with 12 cameras. But they showed they are committed to quality."

The cameras are just part of the preparation that goes into what is a whirlwind telecast. For the game announcers, play-by-play announcer Kenny Albert and analyst Darryl Johnston, the game represents a ton of work in just a little bit of time.

Johnston, a former NFL player, likens game preparation to what he had to go through in his playing career. It involves meetings, watching film, going to production meetings, interviews with coaches and players, watching practice and gathering information and little nuggets that the two can share with viewers during time outs.

The job is made more daunting by the fact that neither has seen very much of the two teams during the season. Obviously the Utes are not often on national television, and the NFL schedule keeps the two busy enough that watching Alabama on a regular basis is a challenge as well.

So, for Johnston and Albert, the job is to know the two teams cold in a matter of days.

"You have to watch them practice, and get an idea of what they do," Johnston said. "Then you get a chance to sit down and ask some questions. You don't normally get a lot from the game plan, but you get some other things that you can definitely use. It's all about building trust and building relationships. Once you gain that trust with the teams you cover, you start to get some information."

Johnston, for example, recalls a recent Sugar Bowl game he did with Terry Bradshaw involving Louisiana State University. During an interview with the players, Tiger running back Jacob Hester sat down, looked at Bradshaw and declared that the two are related.

"So we did the research," Johnston said. "We looked through the family tree, traced the two back, and it turns out that the two are 5th or 6th cousins. So we had a bit of fun with that one during the game."

Those are the kind of things that go into a broadcast. From a technical standpoint, Fox wants each and every angle covered so that nothing is left to chance. The broadcast point of view is aimed to be as thorough as possible.

"I love the preparation aspect of the broadcast," said Albert, the son of renowned basketball broadcaster Marv Albert. "As far as I'm concerned, you can never be over-prepared. It's a lot of hours and it involves learning two teams that we really haven't seen at all."