ESPN’s “College GameDay” is headed back to Oxford for the third time, and this week’s stop comes with a heavyweight SEC matchup and a familiar storyline attached to it.
No. 9 Ole Miss, now 2-0, opens conference play against No.
7 LSU, also 2-0, on Sept. 19 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
CT on ABC. The matchup itself would have been enough to pull the show in, but Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford after a messy exit in 2025 adds another layer to the scene.
When GameDay has visited Ole Miss before, the set has been built in the Grove, the tailgating centerpiece in the middle of campus. That’s expected to be the spot again, with the show’s production trucks usually rolling in on Wednesday and setup starting Thursday morning. The full build takes about five hours.
The guest picker still hasn’t been announced, but Ole Miss has had some big names in that chair before. Katy Perry and Kiffin himself have already served as guest pickers in Oxford. Possible names floating around include Perry again, Mississippi natives Morgan Freeman and Oprah Winfrey, Ole Miss legends Archie and Eli Manning, and country singer Ella Langley, who is scheduled to perform in Oxford two days before the game.
One of the show’s biggest crowd magnets is Pat McAfee’s kicking challenge, and the process is straightforward. Fans who want a shot at the 33-yard field goal need to get into the pit fan section before the show and grab a raffle ticket.
A random ticket is selected around 7:30 a.m. CT.
Participants must be 18 or older and have a physical ID.
Last week, Texas student Conner Kacena-Merrell turned that chance into a massive payday, winning $1.2 million after drilling the kick. He missed his first try for $1 million, then Kirk Herbstreit and guest Matthew McConaughey each added $100,000 for a second attempt, and Kacena-Merrell knocked it through. Before the kicks, he said he planned to donate half of his winnings to Building Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization in Indianapolis.
“College GameDay” has been around since 1987, when it began as an in-studio show hosted by Tim Brando with analysts Lee Corso and Beano Cook. It went on the road in 1993 and made its first on-campus stop at Notre Dame for a game against Florida State.
This year’s crew includes host Rece Davis along with Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, “Stanford Steve” Coughlin, Jen Lada, Jess Sims and Pete Thamel.
Corso is no longer part of the show after retiring following Week 1 of the 2025 season. The 91-year-old spent 38 seasons on GameDay and became famous for his headgear picks, a tradition he started in 1996. In all, he made 431 headgear picks and finished with a 287-144 record.
For viewers tuning in from home, GameDay airs from 8-11 a.m. CT on ESPN and ESPNU every Saturday during the college football season.
Oxford’s GameDay weather outlook calls for 95 degrees and a 25% chance of rain, according to AccuWeather.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Gets Defensive Help As LSU Brings A Huge QB Question
Ole Miss is set to open conference play with a marquee home game against LSU, and the Rebels should get a boost on the back end of the defense when the Tigers come to Oxford. Cornerback Antonio Kite is expected back in the lineup, while safety Sharif Denson is also slated to return, giving Ole Miss some much-needed help in a top-10 matchup that figures to test every layer of the secondary.
The timing matters because LSUs own injury situation could reshape the way this game is played. Star quarterback Sam Leavitt is listed as doubtful, which leaves a major question mark hanging over the Tigers as they head into one of the SECs earliest measuring-stick games. For Ole Miss, getting healthier in the secondary before a game like this is about as good a break as a defense can ask for. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Isnt Buying LSUs Quarterback Status For Saturday
LSUs quarterback situation has already become part of the buildup to Saturday in Oxford, with Sam Leavitt listed as doubtful on the SEC injury report because of soreness in his throwing shoulder and limited practice participation. For Ole Miss, that designation is only adding another layer to a game that already carried plenty of weight, since the Rebels are preparing for the possibility that the Tigers may have to adjust late in the week.
Inside the Ole Miss coaching staff, though, there is a clear sense that the report may not tell the full story. They do not sound convinced Leavitt will actually sit out, even as LSU has an alternate plan ready with Landen Clark expected to start if needed. However it plays out, the Rebels are treating the situation as one worth monitoring right up until kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Faces One Big Road Test As Leavitt Concern Grows
The buildup to Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has already started to take shape on the national radar, and Aaron Murray is leaning toward LSU in what shapes up as one of the more watched games of the weekend. The former Georgia quarterback and college football analyst pointed to the matchup as a chance for LSU to steady itself, while also acknowledging the parts of Ole Miss that make this such a tricky assignment for any visitor.
Murray also singled out Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and receiver Deuce Alexander as players who can tilt the game if they get rolling. For LSU, the focus remains on Sam Leavitt and whether he can make enough of a jump for the Tigers to handle the road environment, with ABC set to carry the broadcast and plenty of attention likely to follow every possession. [Read more 🡒]