For the third time since 2013, ESPN’s “College Gameday” is coming to the Dakotas.
Reece Davis, the long time host of the popular college football pregame show, announced Sunday that the show will broadcast live in Brookings, South Dakota, on Saturday for the border battle between No. 3 South Dakota State and No. 1 North Dakota State.
“While we love going to places we’ve returned to again and again, I don’t know that anything quite gives me the same type of adrenaline rush quite like going to a new place, and this week College Gameday is going to the Dakota Marker game between South Dakota State and the Bison, 7-time national champions, of North Dakota State,” Davis said.“
This is a huge rivalry game and we can’t wait to experience it with you. So Brookings, get ready. We’re coming to your city. And Bison, I understand it’s a very short drive. Can you come take over their house?”
What’s the decision for @CollegeGameDay this week? pic.twitter.com/X8HHzPx3JE
— Rece Davis (@ReceDavis) October 20, 2019
College Gameday has previously broadcast live from Fargo in 2013 and 2014, back when the powerhouse Bison were in the middle of winning five consecutive NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) championships. They’ve since added two more titles (2017, 2018) during their dynasty.
For the first time ever … WE'RE COMING TO SOUTH DAKOTA STATE!
NDSU Bison 🆚 SDSU Jackrabbits 🐰
(📍 @HomeDepot) pic.twitter.com/R6lgUb0MmP
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 20, 2019
NDSU is 7-0 and led by former Marshall (Minnesota) High School quarterback Trey Lance, who has thrown for 15 touchdowns and no interceptions while also leading the Bison with 687 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
SDSU is 6-1 with its only loss coming in the season opener at Minnesota.
Speaking of Minnesota, there’s been chatter for weeks that if ESPN were to bring College Gameday to Minneapolis it would be ideal when the No. 17 Gophers host No. 6 Penn State on Nov. 9.
Minnesota (7-0) hosts Maryland this week while Penn State (7-0) plays on the road against Michigan State. If both win, the Nov. 9 matchup would feature two undefeated Big Ten teams, with the Gophers possibly inching closer to a top-10 ranking and Penn State trying to stay in the conversation to be on of the four teams to reach the College Football Playoff.
The only drawback about the Gophers and Penn State is that it isn’t much of a rivalry game, and it’s also the same day that No. 1 Alabama hosts No. 2 LSU. That could squash all hopes of dreams of College Gameday broadcasting live from Dinkytown.
