How Alabama Has Fared When ESPN's 'College GameDay' Comes to Tuscaloosa

Alabama has hosted the famous college football pregame show more than any other school in the SEC, but what is the Crimson Tide's record in those games?

Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Nick Saban, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit on the set of College GameDay before Alabama's game vs. Texas A&M in 2016 / Alabama Athletics

The eyes of the college football world will be on Tuscaloosa this weekend with No. 4 Alabama hosting No. 2 Georgia. With the biggest game in the country comes the biggest pregame show in college football: ESPN's College GameDay.

Tuscaloosa is no stranger to hosting the show. This weekend will be the 19th time College GameDay will air from the University of Alabama campus since the show began traveling in 1993. Only Ohio State has hosted the show more times, and the Crimson Tide ties the Buckeyes with 59 overall appearances.

The show will be even more special for Alabama fans this Saturday with former head coach Nick Saban as one of the permanent hosts instead of a guest at the desk. College GameDay came to campus 14 times while Saban was the head coach. Ironically, the first time was for the 2007 Georgia game, which was Saban's first season as head coach.

Now in Kalen DeBoer's first year as the Crimson Tide head coach, College GameDay is back in town. The ESPN program has been at Alabama the last three times the Tide has hosted the Bulldogs (2002, 2007 and 2020) with Georgia winning two of the three previous matchups.

The most common opponent has been LSU (six times.) Alabama has been inside the top five for 14 of the 18 appearances with six top-five showdowns.

Overall, Alabama is 37-21 when appearing on College GameDay, but just 9-9 in games in Tuscaloosa. Here's a look back at how Alabama has done in those 18 games:

1. Sept. 1, 2001- No. 25 Alabama vs. No. 17 UCLA- L, 17-20

The Crimson Tide and Bruins met in the 2001 season opener under new Alabama head coach Dennis Franchione for College GameDay's first trip to Tuscaloosa.

Despite outgaining UCLA 459-291 and having an early 10-point advantage, Alabama came up short in the statistic that matters most as UCLA won 20-17. The Bruins scored 20 unanswered points after the Crimson Tide jumped out to the 10-0 lead. Alabama added a fourth-quarter touchdown from Andrew Zow to Freddie Milons with around two minutes left, but it was too little, too late.

2. Oct. 5, 2002- No. 22 Alabama vs. No. 6 Georgia-L, 25-27

This was the first time College GameDay was in Tuscaloosa for an Alabama vs. Georgia matchup. The Bulldogs were the higher-ranked team and held the lead for almost the entire game. A 35-yard pick six from Crimson Tide safety Charlie Peprah gave Alabama the 25-24 advantage with 8:24 to go in the fourth quarter.

Georgia's Billy Bennett put the Bulldogs ahead, 27-25, with less than a minute left on a 32-yard field goal, and that score would hold as Georgia picked up its first ever win in Tuscaloosa.

3. Sept. 6, 2003- Alabama vs. No. 1 Oklahoma- L, 13-20

The Sooners were the No. 1 team in the nation, and Alabama was under first-year head coach Mike Shula after Dennis Franchione left for Texas A&M following the success of a 10-3 season in 2002 and Mike Price's dismissal in the spring.

Oklahoma scored a field goal on its opening possession and never trailed on the way to a 20-13 victory. This was Brodie Croyle's first season as Alabama's starting quarterback, and he was 24-of-42 for 195 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.

4. Nov. 12, 2005- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 5 LSU- L, 13-16 (OT)

The Tide and Tigers met in what would be the first of many top-five showdowns between the two programs in the 2000s. Alabama was undefeated with a 9-0 record, and the LSU Tigers were 8-1.

Alabama held a 10-0 halftime lead, but the Tigers tied it up in the third quarter. Neither team could find the end zone in the fourth quarter, sending the game to overtime. The Crimson Tide kicked a field goal on the opening possession of overtime for a three-point lead, but LSU scored a touchdown on a 12-yard pass from JaMarcus Russell to Dwayne Bowe for the walk-off, 16-13 win.

5. Sept. 22, 2007- No. 16 Alabama vs. No. 22 Georgia- L, 23-26 (OT)

This was the first College GameDay appearance for Alabama under first-year head coach Nick Saban. Alabama was riding high after a comeback win against Arkansas the week before, picking up the first ranked victory of the Saban era which vaulted the Tide into the national polls.

Alabama erased a 10-point fourth quarter deficit and tied it at 20-20 on a John Parker Wilson scramble touchdown with just over a minute to go in regulation. Georgia missed a potential game-winning field goal as time expired to send the game to overtime. Alabama had to settle for a field goal on the first possession of OT. When the Bulldogs got the ball, Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with Mikey Henderson for a 25-yard walk-off touchdown and the 26-23 over time win. (Tua Tagovailoa and DeVonta Smith would return the favor for Alabama 10 years later.)

The Crimson Tide lost the first five times College GameDay came to campus.

6. Sept. 11, 2010- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 18 Penn State- W, 24-3

Nick Saban, Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN's College GameDay before Alabama's home game against Penn State on Sept. 11, 2010 / Alabama Athletics

The enduring image from this day was the pregame meetup at midfield between Saban, Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno– three of the winningest coaches in college football history. The matchup between Alabama and Penn State was the first in a home-and-home series.

Alabama cruised to an easy 24-3 victory, with Penn State's only points coming on a field goal in the fourth quarter. Greg McElroy threw for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns while Trent Richardson had 144 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

7. Nov. 5, 2011- No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 LSU- L, 6-9 (OT)

This game was dubbed the "Game of the Century" and lived up to the hype as No. 2 Alabama hosted No. 1 LSU. There was NFL talent all over the field for both teams on both sides of the ball.

It was a defensive slugfest with neither team finding the end zone. The difference was field goal kicking. Alabama's Jeremy Shelley and Cade Foster combined to go 2 for 6 while LSU's Drew Alleman was 3 for 3, including the game-winning, walk-off field goal in overtime for the 9-6 Tiger victory.

A few weeks later, the two teams would rematch in the BCS National Championship Game with Alabama coming out on top with the 21-0 win and another national title.

8. Nov. 9, 2013- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 13 LSU- W, 38-17

Lee Corso dons the "Big Al" mascot head after he picked Alabama to beat LSU on Nov. 9, 2013 / Alabama Athletics

The Crimson Tide and Tigers were once against meeting for a top-15 showdown inside Bryant-Denny Stadium, but this game couldn't have been more different than the defensive showdown in 2011

Alabama was undefeated and on the quest for a three-peat. The Crimson Tide and Tigers were knotted at 17 apiece after LSU's opening drive of the second half. Alabama would go on to score 21 unanswered points to win 38-17, and quarterback AJ McCarron jubilantly jumped in Saban's arms after the game.

9. Nov. 15, 2014- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Mississippi State- W 25-20

College GameDay set- Nov. 15, 2014 / Alabama Athletics

In the first year of the College Football Playoff, the Mississippi State Bulldogs led by quarterback Dak Prescott found themselves atop the first iteration of the CFP rankings. So Mississippi State came into Bryant-Denny Stadium undefeated and No. 1, but an underdog to the Alabama Crimson Tide.

And Alabama proved why it was one of the best teams in the country and deserving of an eventual playoff spot. The final score of 25-20 made it the game appear much closer than it was. The Tide jumped out to a 19-point lead in the first half, and Mississippi State scored a garbage time touchdown with 15 seconds left to cut the deficit to six.

10. Nov. 29, 2014- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 15 Auburn- W, 55-44

Joe Namath on the set of College GameDay before the 2014 Iron Bowl / Alabama Athletics

Just two weeks after being on campus for the Mississippi State game, College GameDay was back for the 2014 Iron Bowl. It turned out to be the highest-scoring Iron Bowl in the rivalry's history as Alabama won 55-44 after trailing by as much as 11 in the second half.

It was an offensive shootout between Alabama's Blake Sims and Auburn's Nick Marshall. Sims had three interceptions, but Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper cooked the Auburn defense for 224 yards on 13 catches with 3 touchdowns.

Alabama legend Joe Namath was the celebrity guest picker, and he and Lee Corso both donned fur coats.

11. Sept. 19, 2015- No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 15 Ole Miss- L, 37-43

Alabama's lone loss in the 2015 season came at the hands of the Ole Miss Rebels in a wild night game. The Crimson Tide was still trying to figure out its quarterback situation between Cooper Bateman and Jake Coker. Bateman started the game at quarterback, but Coker came in after Bateman continued to struggle.

Ole Miss led by as much as 20 in the second half, and had a 19-point lead with 10 minutes to go. Coker helped engineer a comeback to cut the deficit to one score, but Ole Miss would hold on for the 43-37 win, beating Alabama for the second year in a row under Hugh Freeze.

This was the first season that Alabama alum Rece Davis replaced Chris Fowler as the host of College GameDay.

12. Nov. 7, 2015- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 2 LSU- W, 30-16

For the third straight time, College GameDay came to Tuscaloosa for a matchup between Alabama and LSU. Alabama had lost an early game to Ole Miss, but the Tigers were undefeated with the Heisman frontrunner in running back Leonard Fournette.

The Alabama defense completely shutdown Fournette, who had just 31 yards on 19 carries, and Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry further catapulted himself into the Heisman conversation with a 210-yard, 3-touchdown performance as Alabama rolled to a 30-16 victory.

13. Oct. 22, 2016- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 6 Texas A&M- W, 33-14

Verne Lundquist on the set of College GameDay- Oct. 22, 2016 / Alabama Athletics

Outside of a close game at Ole Miss, Alabama was cruising through its 2016 schedule, and No. 6 Texas A&M was the next team on the schedule. It was another relatively easy win for the Crimson Tide as freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts scored three total touchdowns on the way to the 33-14 victory.

This would be the final time College GameDay broadcasted from the Walk of Champions directly in-front of Bryant-Denny Stadium. CBS announcer Verne Lundquist served as the celebrity guest picker.

14. Nov. 9, 2019- No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 2 LSU- L, 41-46

Rece Davis and Justin Thomas / Alabama Athletics

This game had a similar feel to the 2011 "Game of the Century." Ohio State claimed the top spot in the initial CFP rankings, so instead of it being another 1 vs. 2 matchup, it was 2 vs. 3. It was another game loaded with first-round talent for both teams. (The top thrower, runner and receiver for both teams would all go on to be first round NFL draft picks.)

Unlike the 2011 matchup, this was an offensive show. LSU led by 20 points at halftime, but Tua Tagovailoa helped mount a comeback, even on an injured leg. Tagovailoa connected with DeVonta Smith for an 85-yard touchdown with 1:21 left to cut it to 46-41. But the Crimson Tide could not recover the onside kick, and that score would hold for an LSU victory on the way to the 2019 national championship.

This was when GameDay started filming the show on the quad, and PGA golfer Justin Thomas was the celebrity guest picker.

15. Oct. 17, 2020- No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Georgia- W, 41-24

ESPN's College GameDay before the Alabama/Georgia game in 2020 /

The most recent matchup in Tuscaloosa between the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs saw Alabama come out on top, 41-24. Both teams were undefeated coming into the meeting, and every game mattered in the shortened pandemic season.

Georgia led 24-17 with 27 seconds left in the first half after a Jermaine Burton touchdown. Alabama sophomore kicker Will Reichard snuck in a 52-yard field goal as time expired to swing the momentum in the Tide's favor.

Behind a 417-yard, 4-touchdown performance from quarterback Mac Jones, Alabama scored 21 unanswered points in the second half for the win. Najee Harris had 152 yards and a touchdown while DeVonta Smith grabbed 11 receptions for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Because of the pandemic, College GameDay shot the show inside the stadium without a crowd.

16. Nov. 28, 2020- No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 22 Auburn- W, 42-13

College GameDay was back in Tuscaloosa for the 2020 Iron Bowl. Alabama was on an absolutely dominant run through the 2020 season, and that didn't change against the Tigers.

The game was never close as the Crimson Tide won, 42-13, and wide receiver DeVonta Smith continued his Heisman campaign with 171 yards and 2 touchdowns.

17. Sept. 9, 2023- No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 11 Texas- L, 24-34

Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban poses for a photo with College Gameday at The Quad in Tuscaloosa, AL on Saturday, Sep 9, 2023. / Alabama Athletics

Texas coming to town was the first time a Power Five non-conference opponent had played in Bryant-Denny since Penn State in 2010. The marquee non-conference matchup ended up being the biggest home loss of Saban's Alabama career with Texas winning 34-24.

Alabama held the lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Longhorns outscored the Crimson Tide 21-8 in the final quarter to pull of Steve Sarkisian's signature win against Saban.

This was the first season Pat McAfee joined the College GameDay crew, and Joe Namath was again the celebrity guest picker.

18. Nov. 4, 2023- No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 14 LSU- W, 42-28

Alabama bounced back from the early-season loss to Texas and reeled off six straight wins to set up another big matchup with LSU and Heisman frontrunner Jayden Daniels, which drew College GameDay back to Tuscaloosa.

Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe had a career night rushing the ball with 155 yards and 4 touchdowns as Alabama scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to roll to a 42-28 victory.