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ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot Returns to Norman, Oklahoma for Top-20 Showdown

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

College football's premier pregame show, ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot, is returning to the University of Oklahoma for the show's 10th visit to Norman, Oklahoma. The event is a top-20 showdown between No. 15 Michigan and No. 18 Oklahoma, set to air on ABC Saturday Night Football Presented by Capital One. Host Rece Davis will lead the show, joined by analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and Nick Saban.

Key Takeaways:

  • The show will be live from the South Oval on OU's campus from 9 a.m.-noon ET on ESPN, ESPNU, and Disney+.
  • The event marks Oklahoma's 10th time hosting GameDay in school history and 43rd overall appearance on the show, the third most by any school.
  • The Sooners have a 6-3 record in their previous nine games when they've hosted the program.
  • The three-hour window of the show finished 198% over the competition, and the final hour set a record for GameDay, averaging 4.9 million viewers.
  • Legendary analyst Lee Corso's final headgear pick reached 10 million viewers across all simulcasts.
  • The show features special guests, including Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, and Oklahoma women's gymnastics team members.
  • Pat McAfee's Kicking Contest will offer an exclusive contest during the live show, with a chance for fans to attempt a 33-yard field goal and win prizes.
  • The show's digital coverage includes Countdown to GameDay Presented by Dr Pepper, featuring Christine Williamson, Harry Douglas, and Harry Lyles Jr.
  • For the first time ever, ESPN offers its full suite of 12 networks and services directly within the ESPN App, featuring game stats, ESPN BET information, and personalization options.

Statistics:

  • 4.0 million viewers tuned in to the College GameDay show in Week 1, setting a record for the most-watched episode.
  • 1.3 million more viewers watched the show than the second most-watched regular season episode.
  • The three-hour window of the show finished 198% over the competition.
  • The final hour of the show set a record for GameDay, averaging 4.9 million viewers.
  • The final hour eclipsed the competition by 128% head-to-head.
  • 10 million viewers watched Lee Corso's final headgear pick across all simulcasts.

Sources:

  • ESPN Press Release, "ESPN's College GameDay Built by The Home Depot Travels for Top-20 Showdown in Norman, Okla., Between No. 15 Michigan and No. 18 Oklahoma"
  • ESPN, "College GameDay"
  • ESPN, "Countdown to GameDay Presented by Dr Pepper"
  • ESPN, "ESPN App"

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