College football has been a whirlwind of highs and lows this season for many teams across the country, but one thing that has remained consistent is ESPN’s pregame show “College GameDay”, delivering one of the best pregame experiences leading up to a full slate of games every Saturday.
In Week 12, the “GameDay” crew was in Athens, Georgia, on the University of Georgia campus for a massive SEC matchup between the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers and the No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs.
While the energy is always electric when the crew is in front of a crowd full of Bulldogs fans, this season has felt different. Much of that is due to the major additions to the show, including Pat McAfee joining last season and legendary head coach Nick Saban being added this year.
The changes have paid off, as the show has posted impressive numbers. On Monday, ESPN released statistics highlighting just how successful the show has been this season.
Week 12’s broadcast at the University of Georgia averaged 2.0 million viewers, with the final hour drawing an even larger audience of 2.6 million. The show peaked at 2.9 million viewers during the broadcast. With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, “College GameDay” is on track to have its best season ever, averaging 2.1 million viewers so far.
Outside of Pat McAfee and Nick Saban, who have brought their unique personalities and deep football knowledge. The long-time staples of the show—Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Lee Corso, and Kirk Herbstreit—have continued to shine as well. Corso, in particular, is having one of his best seasons with headgear selections, sporting an impressive 8-2 record so far.
This week, however, Corso faces a tough decision as the crew heads to Columbus, Ohio, for a massive matchup between the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers and the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes are Corso’s “first love,” as they often say on the show.
He has chosen Brutus the Buckeye headgear more than any other team and it was the first headgear he ever dawned on “College GameDay”. However, Corso’s ties to Indiana run deep as well—he was a longtime coach at Indiana University, giving him strong emotional and sentimental ties to the Hoosiers.
The ESPN College Gameday crew, from left, Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit
© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Big Ten clash in Columbus is expected to have another electric atmosphere, as Ohio State fans are no strangers to the show visiting their campus. This highly anticipated matchup will certainly add more excitement to a rivalry that could be potentially brewing.
