While millions will gather around their televisions Sunday for the biggest football game of the year, one junior will stand on the sidelines.

Casey Wood, a junior correspondent for CBS, travelled to New Orleans Saturday to prepare for Super Bowl coverage alongside his idols: Bob Costas, Jim Rome and Kevin Frazier. On game day, he will be on the sidelines, covering everything from the pre-game action to the game itself and the post-show.

The journalism and mass communications major and station manager for GWTV said he always knew he wanted to go into broadcast journalism and describes his experience on- and off-air at CBS as a dream.

Wood, 21, began working for CBS last year. He has since covered major events like Superstorm Sandy and Inauguration Day, doing everything from prep work to interviewing celebrities. His list of past interviewees already covers actors, TV personalities, high-profile athletes and business moguls, including Piers Morgan and brothers Peyton and Eli Manning.

“It’s been surreal,” Wood said. “It’s every young avid sports fan’s dream.”

Growing up in a suburb north of Chicago, Wood started working when he was 15 to help support his family. Both Wood and his identical twin brother Tobey received soccer scholarships to GW and enrolled in 2010.

“We were brought up under, ‘Hard work will always beat talent, because talent stops working hard,’ and, ‘When you’re tired, work harder,’ ” his brother said, adding that he considers his brother very ambitious.

Since arriving in New Orleans Saturday, Wood has interviewed Dan Marino, a former quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The interview took place as they played a game of catch.

Wood’s work days at CBS begin at 5 a.m. and end at 11 p.m. He first adjusted to the schedule when he arrived at the studio before sunrise for Hurricane Sandy coverage.

“Every day, I wake up with a smile on my face like a kindergartner on the first day of school,” Wood said, adding that his optimistic attitude has earned him the nickname “puppy” at work.

He will graduate in December and hopes to continue working for CBS. His goal is to be a reporter or associate producer after college and eventually advance to reporting network news like his idol Brian Williams.

“Being side-by-side by every major reporter in the sports world – it’s totally a dream come true,” Wood said.