“College GameDay” is headed back to Utah, and this one comes with the usual early-morning circus on campus.
ESPN’s traveling pregame show will broadcast from Presidents Circle on the University of Utah campus for the third time in four years, setting the stage for No. 10 Utah’s matchup with No.
14 Houston. Over the last four seasons, only Alabama and Ohio State have hosted “GameDay” more often than Utah.
The show’s host team will feature Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit. Former Ute and current Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid will be the guest picker.
Utah coach Morgan Scalley will also appear live on the “GameDay” set, and ESPN plans to air two Utes-focused features during the broadcast. One, “Cowboy Up,” centers on Utah defensive coordinator Colton Swan’s love of ranching and rodeos. The other, “Just the Two of Us,” examines the connection between quarterbacks Devon Dampier and Byrd Ficklin and Utah’s two-quarterback packages.
The broadcast runs from 7 a.m. MDT to 10 a.m. MDT.
Fans can attend for free, with no tickets required. The set will be located at Presidents Circle, 201 S. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City, UT 84112.
Overnight queuing starts at 5 p.m. MDT on Friday, and admission to “the pit” begins at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Free parking will be available in several campus lots, though vehicles must be moved out by noon on Saturday.
UTA Trax will also run special red line trains to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday. The first train arrives at 4:45 a.m., and trains will keep coming every 15 minutes after that.
For viewers at home, “College GameDay” will air on ESPN and ESPNU and stream on ESPN Unlimited and Disney+.
In Other News...
Utah Is About To Learn Where It Really Stands In The Big 12
The Big 12 standings are one thing, but the more revealing test for Utah is still ahead, and it comes at a point in the season when the leagues hierarchy is starting to sort itself out. BYUs rise to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 and its trip to UCF give a sense of just how much weight the conference is carrying right now, with the Cougars bringing a defense that has powered their climb and the Knights offering the kind of explosive offense that can make any ranking look fragile in a hurry.
For Utah, the broader conversation is about where its rsum really fits once strength of schedule and strength of record start getting compared against the rest of the league. The Utes have already shown enough to stay in the mix, but the next stretch will say a lot more about whether they belong near the top tier or somewhere below it, and the margin for error is shrinking fast in a conference where every week seems to reshuffle the picture. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Injury News Could Change What Oklahoma State Faces Saturday
Colorado is heading into its Week 8 matchup with Oklahoma State shorthanded again, with seven players listed on the official injury report. Two names, Ashley and Lester, were upgraded from questionable to probable, while the report also showed Richardson and Atkins off the list entirely, a sign the Buffaloes are dealing with more than just short-term bumps as they try to piece together a workable game plan.
Lesters status is the one Oklahoma State will probably watch most closely, given how much he has meant on defense when available. Atkins absence also matters because it thins out the tight end room, and Colorados availability issues could affect how both teams approach Saturday if the Buffaloes are still sorting out who can actually suit up. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Has A Real Playoff Opening And Very Little Margin
Midseason playoff projections have left plenty of room for movement, and Utah is still part of that conversation as the race tightens around the top contenders. The Utes are watching the same conference-title math as everyone else, but their path is tied closely to what happens elsewhere, especially with the Big 12 picture still unsettled and several ranked matchups still to come.
For Utah, the margin is thin enough that one result could alter the entire outlook. If the right team stumbles, the Utes can stay right on the edge of the bracket discussion, and a ranked Houston matchup this Saturday gives them another chance for the kind of win that keeps the door cracked open. [Read more 🡒]