ESPN’s College GameDay is taking its show on the road for the first time this college basketball season.
The network announced on Friday that GameDay will air live from Auburn University on Saturday, Jan. 25th as the Tigers take on the Tennessee Volunteers. This will be the fifth time Auburn has hosted the show, while the Vols will be making their ninth appearance.
The crew remains largely the same from previous years. Rece Davis will host alongside analysts Jay Bilas, Andraya Carter, Seth Greenberg, and Jay Williams. New this season is the addition of Pete Thamel, who will serve as the show’s college sports insider.
“We are thrilled to hit the road for this season of College GameDay as the energy each college campus we visit brings is unmatched,” coordinating producer Aaron Katzman said in the announcement. “With Rece, Jay Bilas, Andraya, Seth and Jay Williams’s voices leading the way, we are excited to continue to showcase the dynamic players, storylines and atmospheres of men’s college basketball throughout this spring.”
The game makes for a great first stop for GameDay on a few levels. Both teams are ranked in the top-10 (with Auburn currently maintaining the No. 1 ranking). And Auburn’s coach, Bruce Pearl, will be facing off against his former team, which he led to three Sweet 16s and one Elite Eight appearance during his tenure. Pearl also served as an ESPN analyst for several years between his stints at Tennessee and Auburn.
Once again, ESPN will also produce a pre-pregame show called Countdown to GameDay for its digital platforms. The 30-minute show will emanate live from Bristol in the lead-up to GameDay. Sam Ravech will serve as host and be joined by a rotating group of analysts including Norris Cole, Dalen Cuff, Harry Lyles Jr., Myron Medcalf, and Quentin Richardson.
ESPN’s announcement also confirms the continuation of State Farm’s sponsored half-court shot, which gives students a chance to win prize money each week.
Friday has been a big day for ESPN on the college basketball-front. The network also announced that legendary college hoops broadcaster Dick Vitale will return to call a game next week, marking his first broadcast since April of 2023 after an extended absence during his fight with cancer.
It’s safe to say, the college basketball season is officially beginning to ramp up for March.
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