This year’s first two locations are set. The crew will travel across the Atlantic Ocean to Dublin on Aug. 24 for an ACC showdown between Florida State and Georgia Tech and to College Station a week later for Notre Dame-Texas A&M.
While we don’t know where else “College GameDay” will broadcast from, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it visit Tuscaloosa in Week 5 for Georgia-Alabama or Austin in Week 8 for Georgia-Texas. (Get ready to see a lot of the Bulldogs this year.)
Instead of predicting where we think we’ll see the “GameDay” crew in 2024, here’s a look at our five dream locations for the show to set up shop during the upcoming season.
Week 3: Corvallis, Oregon
Oregon vs. Oregon State:Â The Ducks and Beavers meet in the earliest showdown between in-state rivals in “Civil War” history. The teams have split the past four meetings following a stretch when Oregon went 11-1 in the rivalry (2008-19). Oregon State fans should be revved up for this one after Oregon left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten while Oregon State was demoted to a glorified Mountain West program.
The game will air on Fox, but the network’s “Big Noon Kickoff” will broadcast from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison for an out-of-conference game between Alabama and Wisconsin. Oregon and Oregon State have manageable slates during the first two weeks of the season and should enter the rivalry game 2-0.
Week 4: Norman, Oklahoma
Tennessee vs. Oklahoma:Â Vols head coach Josh Heupel returns to Norman, where he quarterbacked the Sooners to a 2000 national championship.
This is also Oklahoma’s first conference game as an SEC member, and it ends a stretch of four consecutive home games for the Sooners to begin the season.
Both teams project to be among the best in college football this season. Per ESPN’s Football Power Index, Oklahoma is the preseason No. 8 team in the country, while Tennessee sits directly behind it at No. 9.
Week 6: Tallahassee, Florida
Clemson vs. Florida State:Â This could be the most hostile environment “College GameDay” has ever seen.
Is ESPN brave enough to send its crew to Tallahassee after spending last December explaining why an undefeated Seminoles team didn’t deserve to be in the College Football Playoff?
Several pundits said Florida State didn’t belong in the CFP after quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending injury against North Alabama on Nov. 18, something head coach Mike Norvell and the Florida State faithful likely haven’t forgotten.
The stakes for this game could be significant, too. Clemson and Florida State are the projected two best teams in the ACC, according to ESPN Bet. Florida State (+275) is the slight favorite over Clemson (+375) despite the Tigers returning 2023 starting quarterback Cade Klubnik and the Seminoles projected to start former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.
Week 7: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Ole Miss vs. LSU:Â When Ole Miss travels to LSU for a potentially pivotal SEC showdown on Oct. 12, it will be five years to the day since “GameDay” last aired from Baton Rouge, when Florida came to Death Valley for a meeting with Joe Burrow and the Tigers.
The programs met in one of the best regular season games of the 2023 season, a 55-49 Ole Miss win. The Rebels had an excellent offseason and return starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, a preseason dark-horse Heisman candidate. This game should be their toughest test up to this point in the season and determine whether they’re a legitimate national championship contender.
Week 9: Manhattan, Kansas
Kansas vs. Kansas State:Â The Big 12 could be up for grabs in the conference’s first season without Oklahoma and Texas, which combined to win 18 conference championships since 1996.
The Jayhawks and Wildcats could be two of the biggest contenders for the Big 12 title. In the conference’s preseason media poll, Kansas State ranked second, receiving 19 first-place votes, and Kansas was fourth (five first-place votes).
“GameDay” has only broadcast from Kansas State twice and not since Oct. 14, 2000 when the Wildcats, ranked No. 2 in the country, hosted No. 8 Oklahoma.