Predicting where ESPN College GameDay will be each week this season

College football is full of unique traditions and customs that fill up a Saturday in the fall. But the energy goes up anytime ESPN pulls its College GameDay bus and traveling roadshow onto campus for a big game. The Colleghe GameDay pregame show has become a tradition and trend setter since making its first road trip in 1993 and making it a weekly tradition since 1994. This year's traveling road show will start the year off in Columbus, Ohio, for the season opener between defending national champion Ohio State and Texas in a College Football Playoff semifinal rematch. It will be the final GameDay for the legendary Lee Corso, who is ready to settle into retirement after one final mascot head pick.

Penn State could be in a good spot to see the College GameDay crew attend a few games this season. With the preseason hype surrounding the Nittany Lions, and some attractive candidates on the schedule for GameDay to set up shop. And it may not be too long into the season for the first GameDay visit to a Penn State game. Where will the GameDay crew be heading each week of this upcoming college football season? Here are some early predictions following Week 1's visit to Ohio State.

Week 2: Oklahoma vs. Michigan

A week after showcasing a Big Ten vs. SEC matchup on Big Ten soil, this seems to be the appropriate follow-up in Week 2 between legendary programs Michigan and Oklahoma in Norman, OK. The game is already set for a primetime matchup on ABC, which makes this a leading candidate for GameDay, and perhaps the decision is all but official already.

Oregon hosts Oklahoma State, and Kentucky will host Ole Miss for a couple of worthy candidates to consider, but GameDay won't be likely to pass up a matchup between Michigan and Oklahoma when it is sitting right there for them.

Week 3: Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M

Week 3 offers some interesting options to consider for the ESPN staff. It could easily do a third straight Big Ten vs. SEC matchup with Alabama hosting Wisconsin, or it could visit the Backyard Brawl as West Virginia hosts Pitt. And there are a couple of notable SEC matchups with LSU hosting Florida in primetime and Tennessee hosting Georgia. None of these would be bad choices for GameDay to showcase. But this may be a good opportunity to make the trip to South Bend as Notre Dame hosts Texas A&M.

Week 4: Utah vs. Texas Tech

Week 4 is not quite as enticing at first glance as the previous few weeks, so this Big 12 matchup could be the winner for a GameDay visit. But there are some other games worth watching that could become frontrunners depending on how the season starts. The winner of the Michigan-Oklahoma game in Week 2 could make another appearance here as Michigan visits Nebraska and Oklahoma hosts Auburn. A couple of wild card candidates could be the old west coast in-state rivalries, with Washington State hosting Washington and Oregon hosting Oregon State. But don't expect the Ducks to be showcased here, because...

Week 5: Penn State vs. Oregon

A Big Ten championship game rematch against two potential top 10 or top 5 teams will get the primetime whiteout treatment in Beaver Stadium when Penn State hosts Oregon in Week 5. The game airing on NBC should not be a factor in the GameDay decision, but ESPN does have some potential options on the table to consider. Georgia is hosting Alabama on ABC in primetime, so the corporate synergy could come into play here and should not be overlooked. But this may be the best opportunity for GameDay to visit State College this season, and that could be a game-changer.

Week 6: Notre Dame vs. Boise State

Notre Dame hosts Boise State in a matchup of two College Football Playoff participants from a year ago (and if not for Penn State beating Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, this would have been a playoff rematch). This could be a matchup of two top-15 teams, and it would not be an overstatement to suggest this game will carry some playoff weight for the victor the rest of the way. This one is a big one for both teams.

Florida hosts Texas in an SEC matchup, which could be the top alternative this week unless some storylines develop in September elsewhere.

Week 7: Texas vs. Oklahoma

What would the Red River Rivalry be without a visit from College GameDay at the state fair? College GameDay loves attending this matchup, so do not expect them to skip it this season. There are two other games in the SEC to keep in mind, though, as Auburn hosts Georgia and LSU will host South Carolina. And if these predictions hold true, Texas and Oklahoma will have already been involved in a GameDay visit. Auburn and LSU are always fun destinations for the pregame show, too.

Week 8: Georgia vs. Ole Miss

Strong consideration was given to the matchup between Alabama and Tennessee on the same day, but there will be more to put the spotlight on in this one with Lane Kiffin thrown into the mix. If GameDay makes a surprise visit to the Auburn-Georgia game the previous week instead of the Oklahoma-Texas game, then Alabama-Tennessee could be the pick here.

Week 9: Utah vs. Colorado

After back-to-back weeks showcasing SEC matchups, this may be the opportunity for GameDay to brand a little more out west and get in on whatever the Deion Sanders craze is sitting at by this point in the season. Colorado visits Utah in what could potentially be an important game in the Big 12. Another potential Big 12 option would be Texas Tech hosting Oklahoma State or Arizona State hosting Houston. Whichever game it chooses, this could be the week the Big 12 gets the GameDay treatment.

Week 10: Ohio State vs. Penn State

This feels like one of the easiest picks on the entire schedule. Matchups between Penn State and Ohio State have become a popular destination for GameDay over the years, with 13 total matchups being given the GameDay treatment. That is tied with Alabama-LSU for the most total matchups for GameDay. GameDay highlighted the game last year in Happy Valley, and a second trip to Columbus for GameDay after opening the season there feels appropriate here, even though GameDay probably tries to avoid multiple trips as much as it can. But this feels justified.

Week 11: Clemson vs. Florida State

Week 11 may be the week for the ACC to get the GameDay spotlight. The week overall feels pretty light on big matchups, so this should be a good week to highlight the ACC's top playoff contender or contenders. Clemson should be in for a good season and will host Florida State. If the Seminoles start turning things around, that makes this game worth monitoring. Another ACC matchup on the radar should be Miami hosting Syracuse.

Week 12: Georgia vs. Texas

The possibility of an SEC championship game preview is too much to overcome in Week 12. If this game is not the showcase game for GameDay, then this season will likely have gone totally off script before Week 12.

Week 13: Penn State vs. Nebraska

Could GameDay make a second trip to Happy Valley in the 2025 season? It absolutely could if things largely go according to plan for Penn State this season and Nebraska puts together a respectable season. Looking at Nebraska's schedule, it is worth considering the Cornhuskers could be making a trip to Beaver Stadium with a record of 10-0. Odds are that may not be the case, but that would certainly make this an easy pick with Big Ten and College Football Playoff implications on the line.

Week 14: Auburn vs. Alabama

As the regular season draws to a close before conference championship weekend, the Iron Bowl could be the final destination of the season for GameDay. A lot of this could change based on what games have the most riding on the outcome for conference championships and potential playoff spots, but there is always a good chance this rivalry game will have at least something to say in how the entire postseason will be mapped out.

Ohio State vs. Michigan is always a worthy candidate here, of course.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: How many times will Penn State see ESPN's College GameDay in 2025?