"College GameDay" Season to Open from Sundance Square on September 5
Saturday Morning Show to Conclude Season at Army-Navy Showdown on December 12
ATLANTA - ESPN College GameDay Built by The Home Depot - college football's longest running and most celebrated pregame show - will begin the season for the second straight year from Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Texas, announced today at the College Football Hall of Fame Huddle-Up Luncheon. The weekly three-hour Emmy Award-winning show (Saturdays, 9 a.m.-noon ET) will open September 5 in advance of the annual neutral-site matchup from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this year showcasing No. 17 Wisconsin against No. 7 Alabama on Saturday Night Football on ABC presented by Wells Fargo, as part of DICK's Sporting Goods Kickoff Week at 8 p.m.
Entering a new era on College GameDay, Rece Davis takes over full-time hosting duties from long-time host Chris Fowler when the crew takes to the road opening weekend. Davis will be joined by familiar faces in analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and David Pollack, as well as contributors Samantha Ponder, Tom Rinaldi, George Whitfield and Gene Wojciechowski. Fowler and Herbstreit will join together in the booth, along with reporter Heather Cox, for the call of the Wisconsin-Alabama game.
Also returning to GameDay - in her second season as resident DJ - is Cait "Babi Mac" McMahan, who provides entertainment for fans on-site.
SportsCenter segments will begin in the 9 a.m. hour on Friday from Sundance Square, and College Football Live will originate from the GameDay set at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.
The opening weekend GameDay telecast will be Corso's 258th headgear selection, holding a 10-6 all-time week one record (5-1 in last six years). Corso has previously picked Alabama 22 times with a 15-7 record, and has selected Wisconsin four times, holding a 2-2 mark.
Davis, Howard and Pollack will make an additional stop in Blacksburg, Va., for College Football Countdown on Monday, Sept. 7, in advance of a special edition of ESPN College Football presented by Capital One telecast featuring Virginia Tech vs. defending National Champions and No. 1 Ohio State at 8 p.m. The trio will be onsite for pre-game, halftime and post-game reporting, beginning at 7 p.m.
Return to Army-Navy Showdown
For the second straight year, College GameDay will originate from the site of the storied annual matchup between Army and Navy - this season from Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, on Saturday, Dec. 12.
GameDay visited Baltimore's Inner Harbor in advance of the 2014 game, and the show originated from West Point once prior - September 27, 2003 for South Florida at Army- but for the only time in show history, the show had to be cancelled mid-air due to lightning. The game was played later that day and South Florida won 28-0.
Sundance Square
Sundance Square is a vibrant, award-winning entertainment district spanning 35 blocks in downtown Fort Worth. The multi-use development attracts more than 10 million visitors each year. The one-acre outdoor plaza features new restaurants, shops, water features, stage, four 32-foot umbrellas, and covered seating. For more information about Sundance Square, visit sundancesquare.com or follow the multi-use development on Facebook.com/sundancesquare or Twitter@sundancesquare.
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