ESPN’s “College GameDay” returns to Baton Rouge this weekend for the much-anticipated matchup between the No. 1 LSU Tigers and Southeastern Conference rival No. 9 Florida Gators.
Saturday will mark the second time this season that GameDay has broadcast from Baton Rouge after ending a three-year absence earlier this season with coverage of LSU’s 48-7 blowout of then-No. 9 Virginia Tech.
In the past few years, GameDay has made a habit of visiting the same school in one season.
Most recently, GameDay visited Blacksburg, Va., twice in 2005 for Virginia Tech games.
While the show was originally scheduled to cover the Tennessee Volunteers’ visit to Baton Rouge instead of the first of its two Virginia Tech home games, plans changed when Hurricane Rita forced the SEC battle to a Monday night make-up game.
The move to Blacksburg extended a streak of broadcasting twice in a season from one location to its seventh year. Host cities during this streak included Gainesville, Fla.; Knoxville, Tenn.; and Blacksburg.
Former Heisman trophy winner and Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard is now in his third year with the cast of Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Fowler and Lee Corso this season.
While Herbstreit and Fowler have both been with the show more than a decade, Corso is the only remaining original cast member.
The Florida game will mark the show’s sixth visit to Baton Rouge since 1996.
In 1996, the No. 11 LSU Tigers hosted No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide.
Sparked by Lee Corso’s pick of Alabama over LSU, Tiger fans began throwing things – including a golf ball.
The golf ball is still held by LSU’s Athletic Department, and the event forever changed the GameDay program.
Although the only injury on the day was a minor cut to a crew member, the aerial assault on “the Sunshine Scooter” drove GameDay to place a large net behind the panelists.
While Corso’s prediction proved correct, the Tigers have not lost a home game with the GameDay crew since – posting a perfect 4-0 record – and have split a pair of road GameDay games – winning in overtime at No. 4 Alabama in 2005 and falling short in “The Swamp” this past Oct. 7.
The Tigers will attempt to avenge the 2006 loss to Florida this weekend on the eve of its anniversary – not only in front of ESPN’s GameDay but multiple other broadcasts as well.
CSTV sends its Chick-fil-A SEC Tailgate to Baton Rouge this weekend, while CBS will televise the game nationally in prime time.
The top-10 matchup will mark the second consecutive week CBS will telecast an LSU game after the victory against South Carolina.
CBS has also announced coverage of next week’s road trip to Kentucky.
—Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]