Sign in Subscribe
Football teams

ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot Heads to Happy Valley for Top-10 Big Ten Showdown

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot is set to make its 11th trip to State College, Pennsylvania, for the top-10 Big Ten showdown between Oregon and Penn State. The premier pregame show will originate from Old Main Lawn on campus from 9 a.m. to noon ET (ESPN, ESPNU, and Disney+) ahead of the match-up. Rece Davis will be at the helm for his 11th season, joined by GameDay analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and Nick Saban, among others.

Key Takeaways:

  • ESPN's College GameDay will broadcast live from Old Main Lawn on the Penn State campus, marking its 11th trip to the location.
  • The show will feature a live appearance by Penn State head coach James Franklin ahead of the Big Ten matchup against Oregon.
  • College football insider Pete Thamel, college football betting analyst "Stanford Steve" Coughlin, and reporters Jen Lada and Jess Sims will also contribute to the show.
  • The event is part of the show's fourth season on-site activations, including the Home Depot Hype Hat and on-site prize giveaways.
  • Pat McAfee's Kicking Contest returns for its third season, with an exclusive contest during the live show, offering an opportunity for fans to win prizes and charity donations.
  • On-Site giveaways will include "white out" towels, customizable t-shirts celebrating GameDay's visit, and an immersive hype room experience, the Home Depot Hype Hat.
  • Fans are encouraged to arrive early and wear white to the show to bring the "White Out" to Old Main Lawn on Saturday morning.
  • The show and offerings are free for fans, and early arrival is encouraged for exclusive offers and on-site prizes.
  • For more information, Penn State fans can visit the College GameDay Hub page.

Statistics:

  • The Week 4 show from Miami averaged 2.8 million viewers, up 33% from 2024's Week 4 episode.
  • The show had a peak of 4.4 million viewers, with 3.4 million final-hour viewers.
  • College GameDay delivered its second-most-watched regular season episode ever, pacing up 37% season-to-date from the 2024 season.
  • Pat McAfee has given out over $2,000,000 of his own money in prizes and charity donations across his time on the show.

Sources:

  • ESPN (https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2025/09/espns-college-gameday-built-by-the-home-depot-heads-to-happy-valley-for-top-10-big-ten-showdown/)
  • ESPN's College GameDay Hub page (https://www.espn.com/college-game-day/)

Read more