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Predicting where ESPN’s College GameDay will land each week in 2023

zachary neel
·6 min read
4

Earlier in the week, we looked at which of the Oregon Ducks 12 games this year might be in the best place to potentially land a visit from the ESPN College GameDay crew. Based on matchup and potential stakes, there are a number of games on the Ducks’ schedule that could easily draw the likes of Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, and Lee Corso to campus.

Whether it’s Oregon vs. Washington, Oregon vs. USC, or Oregon vs. Utah, the Ducks will almost undoubtedly be featured on GameDay at least once this season.

What about the other weeks, though?

In an attempt to look at more than just Oregon’s prospective College GameDay appearances, we went through every week of the 2023 season and try to predict where the ESPN crew will land each and every week.

Week Zero

Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

Our Prediction: Notre Dame vs. Navy

Analysis: Based on what the Week Zero schedule presents, it’s not hard to see that there is no real choice other than going to Ireland to cover the Navy vs. Notre Dame game. To be honest, I’m not sure that ESPN’s College GameDay will be active for Week Zero, but if they are, I find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t be in Ireland.

Week One

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

Our Prediction: Colorado vs. TCU

Analysis: There are some really good games in Week 1, but strangely a couple of the best come on Thursday or Sunday. Utah and Florida will rematch on Thursday night, while LSU will take on Florida State on Sunday afternoon. For the Saturday slate, there are few games with bigger storylines than Colorado vs. TCU. Deion Sanders’ first game in Boulder while the Horned Frogs look to bounce back from that embarrassing championship defeat.

Week Two

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

Our Prediction: Texas vs. Alabama

Analysis: There are few teams that ESPN has an affinity for more than the Texas Longhorns. With either Quinn Ewers or Arch Manning taking on Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, I would bet any amount of money that GameDay ends up in Tuscaloosa for this weekend. Sorry Oregon and Texas Tech; sorry Texas A&M and Miami; sorry Notre Dame and NC State. I’m sure all of those would be great games, but none will match the hype that Texas and Alabama bring.

Week Three

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

Our Prediction: Tennessee vs. Florida

Analysis: While I think that Washington vs. Michigan State may end up being the better game, it will ultimately be some SEC sway that gets ESPN down to the swamp in Week 3.

Week Four

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • Oregon vs. Colorado

  • Ole Miss vs. Alabama

  • Arkansas vs. LSU

  • Auburn vs. Texas A&M

  • Florida State vs. Clemson

  • Iowa vs. Penn State

Our Prediction: Florida State vs. Clemson

Analysis: There are a few games that I think could really compete for GameDay in Week 4 — Oregon vs. Colorado, Iowa vs. Penn State, Ole Miss vs. Alabama — but I think in the end it will go to a potential top-10 matchup between Clemson and Florida State.

Week Five

(Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • Georgia vs. Auburn

  • Florida vs. Kentucky

  • Michigan vs. Nebraska

  • LSU vs. Ole Miss

  • USC vs. Colorado

Our Prediction: USC vs. Colorado

Analysis: I have a feeling that this could be when ESPN chooses to showcase the Buffaloes, matching them up against Lincoln Riley and the Trojans. There are some great other conference games, but the brands at play in Boulder will be huge this weekend.

Week Six

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

Our Prediction: Oklahoma vs. Texas

Analysis: Getting the Red River Rivalry a year before both teams go to the SEC would be quite entertaining, especially with both schools projected to be competitors nationally this year.

Week Seven

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • Oregon vs. Washington

  • Miami vs. North Carolina

  • USC Notre Dame

Our Prediction: USC vs. Notre Dame

Analysis: Man, this one is such a toss-up. Oregon vs. Washington is going to be one of the best games of the year in the Pac-12, but USC and Notre Dame has history and a pair of fanbases that spans nationwide. I think in the end, the game in South Bend will win out.

Week Eight

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • Tennessee vs. Alabama

  • Michigan vs. Michigan State

  • Penn State vs. Ohio State

  • Utah vs. USC

  • Clemson vs. Miami

Our Prediction: Penn State vs. Ohio State

Analysis: There is no wrong answer here. Ultimately, I think that the Big Ten showdown between Buckeyes and Nittany Lions will win out, but I could easily see ESPN choosing any single one of these games.

Week Nine

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • Oregon vs. Utah

  • Ohio State vs. Wisconsin

  • Clemson vs. NC State

  • Georgia vs. Florida

Our Prediction: Georiga vs. Florida

Analysis: While I think that Oregon vs. Utah could end up being the best game out of this group, I still see ESPN choosing the SEC over a game in Salt Lake City.

Week Ten

Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • LSU vs. Alabama

  • Washington vs. USC

  • Notre Dame vs. Clemson

  • Kansas State vs. Texas

Our Prediction: LSU vs. Alabama

Analysis: Both LSU and Alabama project to be top-five teams this year, so a late-season matchup between the two could be among the best games of the year.

Week Eleven

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • USC vs. Oregon

  • Ole Miss vs. Georgia

  • Florida vs. LSU

  • Utah vs. Washington

  • Michigan vs. Penn State

  • Michigan State vs. Ohio State

Our Prediction: USC vs. Oregon

Analysis: If there is any game on Oregon’s schedule that I predict will get GameDay to Eugene, it’s the matchup vs. USC. It’s a game that we haven’t seen since 2020, and a historic matchup that we won’t see regularly going forward with the Trojans leaving for the Big Ten.

Week Twelve

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

Our Prediction: Georgia vs. Tennessee

Analysis: It was one of the most thrilling games of the year in 2022, and it could be the same this year, even with a pair of new QBs at the helm.

Week Thirteen

ESPN College GameDay Worthy Sites

  • Alabama vs. Auburn

  • Florida vs. Florida State

  • Notre Dame vs. Stanford

  • Ohio State vs. Michigan

Our Prediction: Ohio State vs. Michigan

Analysis: There are a ton of great rivalry games this weekend, including Oregon vs. Oregon State on Friday. However, Ohio State vs. Michigan will undoubtedly take the cake in my book.

Story originally appeared on Ducks Wire