Predicting 2023 ESPN College GameDay locations by the Week
One of the best parts of college football in the fall is Kirk Herbstreit and ESPN’s College GameDay crew. Hosting them for a game is an honor, and it typically means you are in for the biggest game of the week. From Lee Corso’s iconic headgear to the famous guest pickers, GameDay is a staple of the sport we love.
This year, we have some incredibly interesting out-of-conference games such as Texas vs. Alabama and LSU vs. Florida State just to name a few. Ohio State and Alabama lead College GameDay in terms of most appearances, and I predict that both schools will continue to add to that list in 2023.
Below, we predict the most likely College GameDay locations week to week:
Week 0: Navy vs. Notre Dame (Dublin, Ireland)
The Irish have the largest fan base in college athletics, so their first game of the year in Dublin will be an incredibly hot ticket. There are also only seven games in Week 0 with Notre Dame being far and away the most notable team. The Irish got the best of Navy in their 2022 matchup beating them 35-32 in an instant classic.
Week 1: Colorado at TCU
The 2022 College Football Playoff runner-ups, TCU Horned Frogs, will open the year by hosting Deion Sanders in his first game as the head man of the Buffaloes. The hype around Deion makes this a must watch game alone. FSU will square off against LSU, but the game is on Sunday which will will exclude it from being a GameDay location.
Week 2: Texas at Alabama
Alabama at Texas was arguably one of the season’s best games in 2022 as the Tide narrowly survived by a game-winning field goal in Austin. Now, Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns will be coming to Tuscaloosa to square off in what will likely be a top-10 matchup between two of the most iconic brands in all of college football.
Week 3: Washington at Michigan State
The final week before conference play tends to not include the most intriguing of matchups, but Washington vs. Michigan State is something we really don’t get to see all that often. Washington finished last season 11-2 and might be one of the biggest dark horses in the sport led by quarterback Michael Penix.
Week 4: Florida State at Clemson
Starting this season, the ACC has removed their division format meaning the top two teams will play for the title. The winner of FSU at Clemson will likely book their ticket to the ACC championship game while the other school will likely have to win out in order to earn a rematch. Ole Miss at Alabama and Ohio State at Notre Dame are both notable games this week as well.
Week 5: Georgia at Auburn
The oldest rivalry in the South will take place in Week 5 with a chance at both teams entering the matchup undefeated. Jordan Hare Stadium is one of the toughest environments in all of college football and the back-to-back national champions will face their first test of the season.
Week 6: Oklahoma at Texas (Cotton Bowl)
This will be the final meeting between the two programs as members of the Big 12, so that in itself makes it historic. The Longhorns are coming off of a 49-0 thrashing of the Sooners in 2022, and Brent Venables is going to need to get a marquee win against a ranked opponent.
Week 7: USC at Notre Dame
Another one of the best rivalries in college football. Both teams will likely be in pursuit of the Playoffs by this point. USC’s Caleb Williams is widely regarded as the best player in the sport, and traveling to South Bend will be a chance to pick up their biggest win of the season.
Week 8: Penn State at Ohio State
The Big Ten East has been a three horse race for about the past decade between Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan. Ohio State and Penn State have played some thrilling games in recent years and this year’s rendition will certainly have playoff implications.
Week 9: Oregon at Utah
If anyone is going to give USC troubles in the Pac-12 it will likely be Oregon or Utah. The Utes beat USC twice in 2022, but Oregon knocked off Utah by a score of 20-17.
Week 10: LSU at Alabama
Even though they aren’t truly rivals, Alabama and LSU have battled it out for the SEC West over the past 15 years or so with both sides having won a national title in the past five years. LSU knocked off Alabama in overtime last season, so I expect the Tide to be ready to go for this one. Washington at USC is another game to keep an eye on this week.
Week 11: Texas at TCU
TCU is coming off of a national championship appearance in 2022 and will be contending for the Big 12 title again this season. They have given the Longhorns a lot of trouble in the past, but this might be the most talented Texas team since they went to the BCS title in 2009. USC at Oregon is another marquee game this week, but two weeks removed from a potential GameDay between Oregon and Utah, they won’t want to revisit Oregon so soon.
Week 12: Georgia at Tennessee
Tennessee is coming off of their best season since 1998 and expect to compete for the SEC East Championship. The only way they will get there is by going through the back-to-back national champion Georgia Bulldogs. Tennessee has all of the pieces to play with UGA, but can they put them together?
Week 13: Ohio State at Michigan
The Wolverines have got the best of the Buckeyes in the previous two matchups, and this game will likley determine who gets a playoff spot. To make matters better, it is one of the most heated rivalries in all of college football. Depending how Auburn’s season fares, Alabama at Auburn is another game to keep an eye on.
