The Oregon Ducks are going to be one of the premier teams in the nation going into the 2024 college football season as they enter the Big Ten Conference for the first time.
With that, they will play a lot of big games with a spot in the conference championship or College Football Playoff on the line, and there’s a good chance that a handful of these games will draw the national attention necessary to bring ESPN’s flagship show ‘College GameDay’ to town for a preview.
But which ones are going to be in the running? That’s something we wanted to break down. Here is a look at the most likely option for ESPN to choose each week of the season:
Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Florida State Seminoles vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (Dublin, Ireland)
Most Likely Option
— Florida State vs. Georgia Tech
Analysis: There aren’t many great Week 0 games this year, so it feels like this is the only real option for ESPN if they travel the GameDay crew at all.
(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Miami Hurricanes vs. Florida Gators
— Georgia Bulldogs vs. Clemson Tigers
— Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Texas A&M Aggies
— LSU Tigers vs. USC Trojans
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— Idaho Vandals
Most Likely Option
— Georgia vs. Clemson
Analysis: There are some very solid Week 1 games this year, and I could also see GameDay choosing to highlight Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M since those are such marquee programs, but Georgia vs. Clemson is hard to pass up.
Syndication: Austin American-Statesman
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Tennessee Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack
— Texas Longhorns vs. Michigan Wolverines
— Oregon Ducks vs. Boise State Broncos
Most Likely Option
— Texas vs. Michigan
Analysis: Speaking of marquee names, it’s harder to get bigger than Texas or Michigan, so having the two meet in a non-conference clash is something special. this is an easy choice for GameDay locations.
Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Arizona Wildcats vs. Kansas State Wildcats
— Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers
— Texas A&M Aggies vs. Florida Gators
— Georgia Bulldogs vs. Kentucky Wildcats
Most Likely Option
— Arizona vs. Kansas State
Analysis: Week 3 isn’t as loaded as other weeks, but it could give ESPN a chance to go to one of the new premier Big 12 matchups on the slate and highlight the Wildcats and Wildcats.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2007 Mark J. Rebilas
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Tennessee Volunteers vs. Oklahoma Sooners
— USC Trojans vs. Michigan Wolverines
— NC State Wolfpack vs. Clemson Tigers
— Utah Utes vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— BYE
Most Likely Option
— USC vs. Michigan
Analysis: I could see ESPN going a number of ways with their coverage this weekend, but it makes sense early in the season for them to highlight a really fun Big Ten matchup between USC and Michigan, both of whom should be undefeated at this point.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Kentucky Wildcats vs. Ole Miss Rebels
— Louisville Cardinals vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
— Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan State Spartans
— Georgia Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
— Arizona Wildcats vs. Utah Utes
— Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Kansas State Wildcats
— Wisconsin Badgers vs. USC Trojans
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— UCLA Bruins
Most Likely Option
— Georgia vs. Alabama
Analysis: We have rarely gotten to see Georgia and Alabama play regular-season games as of late, so getting a chance to watch the two heavyweights battle it out in Week 5 is going to be appointment television. Book this as the location for GameDay and move on.
Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Missouri Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies
— Michigan Wolverines vs. Washington Huskies
— Clemson Tigers vs. Florida State Seminoles
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— Michigan State Spartans
Most Likely Option
— Clemson vs. Florida State
Analysis: I think it’s around now that ESPN will head out to ACC land and highlight a pair of the predominant teams on the East Coast with a potential preview of the ACC Championship.
Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Ole Miss Rebels vs. LSU Tigers
— Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners
— Oregon Ducks vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
— Tennessee Volunteers vs. USC Trojans
Most Likely Option
— Oregon vs. Ohio State
Analysis: There are some really good games this weekend, but I don’t think any will be better than Oregon vs. Ohio State, which could in all likelihood be a battle between No. 1 and No. 2 in the country. This game is in Eugene, so it’s not hard to see GameDay choosing to come to one of their favorite locations.
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Tennessee Volunteers
— Georgia Bulldogs vs. Texas Longhorns
— Miami Hurricanes vs. Louisville Cardinals
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— Purdue Boilermakers
Most Likely Option
— Georgia vs. Texas
Analysis: From Ohio State vs. Oregon to Georgia vs. Texas, it’s hard to find a better two-week stretch than this for ESPN. Again, this could be a game between No. 1 and No. 2, or a pair of top-5 teams in the nation. You can’t pass that up.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— LSU Tigers vs. Texas A&M Aggies
— Missouri Tigers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
— Kansas Jayhawks vs. Kansas State Wildcats
— Oklahoma Sooners vs. Ole Miss Rebels
— Florida State Seminoles vs. Miami Hurricanes
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— Illinois Fighting Illini
Most Likely Option
— Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss
Analysis: This one is a harder decision, for sure, but if Ole Miss is as good as we expect, and Oklahoma can improve under Jackson Arnold, I could see this being the GameDay location.
Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Kentucky Wildcats vs. Tennessee Volunteers
— Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
— Oregon Ducks vs. Michigan Wolverines
— Louisville Cardinals vs. Clemson Tigers
Most Likely Option
— Ohio State vs. Penn State
Analysis: Ohio State vs. Michigan has gotten all of the shine over the years, but this game between the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions is always good for high drama, so I expect that matchup to get the GameDay treatment. If not, give me Oregon vs. Michigan
Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Oklahoma Sooners vs. Missouri Tigers
— Alabama Crimson Tide vs. LSU Tigers
— Georgia Bulldogs vs. Ole Miss Rebels
— Florida State Seminoles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— Maryland Terrapins
Most Likely Option
— Georgia vs. Ole Miss
Analysis: I could see Alabama vs. LSU or Georgia vs. Ole Miss here. Ultimately, I think the latter will be a better game between higher-ranked teams, so that gets my vote at this point.
Syndication: Online Athens
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Tennessee Volunteers vs. Georgia Bulldogs
— Oregon Ducks vs. Wisconsin Badgers
— Utah Utes vs. Colorado Buffaloes
Most Likely Option
— Tennessee vs. Georgia
Analysis: Any of the aforementioned games could easily get the GameDay treatment, and while I was inclined to vote for Utah vs. Colorado, I think a Georgia-Tennessee showdown might get the ultimate win.
Syndication: Tuscaloosa News
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Oklahoma Sooners
— Kentucky Wildcats vs. Texas Longhorns
— UCLA Bruins vs. USC Trojans
Oregon Ducks Opponent
— BYE
Most Likely Option
— Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Analysis: ESPN loves the UCLA vs. USC matchup, but I don’t think this is the year to catch either team, so it feels more likely that they choose Oklahoma and Alabama instead.
Junfu Han-USA TODAY Sports
Potential ESPN GameDay Locations
— Oklahoma Sooners vs. LSU Tigers
— Louisville Cardinals vs. Kentucky Wildcats
— Texas Longhorns vs. Texas A&M Aggies
— Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Michigan Wolverines
— Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. USC Trojans
— Oregon Ducks vs. Washington Huskies
Most Likely Option
— Ohio State vs. Michigan
Analysis: Rivalry Week brings a ton of incredible matchups to the table, but none of them can trump The Game between Ohio State and Michigan. Once again, it feels like a given that this matchup will get the GameDay treatment, as it should.
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