ESPN College GameDay Coming To Bloomington As Indiana Football Hosts Washington

Indiana football's 7-0 start under first-year coach Curt Cignetti has attracted national attention, most recently with ESPN's College GameDay pregame show coming to Bloomington for the Hoosiers' Week 9 matchup against Washington.
ESPN College GameDay came to Bloomington for Indiana's 2017 season opener against Ohio State.
ESPN College GameDay came to Bloomington for Indiana's 2017 season opener against Ohio State. / photo via Bill Hofheimer, ESPN
In this story:

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – ESPN's iconic College GameDay pregame show will be in Bloomington for Indiana's game against Washington on Saturday.

The show will air from 9 a.m. to Noon ET on ESPN, ESPNU and streaming on the ESPN app. Kickoff between the 7-0 Hoosiers and 4-3 Huskies is scheduled for Noon ET at Memorial Stadium and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

This marks the second time College GameDay has traveled to Bloomington. It came to town for Indiana's 2017 season opener against Ohio State and hosted a Thursday night show inside Memorial Stadium.

But this year will be the first traditional Saturday edition of College GameDay in Bloomington. The cast includes Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit. It will be a special day for Corso, who will return to Bloomington after coaching the Hoosiers from 1973-82.

GameDay typically welcomes on a special guest with ties to the state or university where the show airs from, though that has not yet been announced. Indiana has not announced where GameDay will take place, either.

Indiana hosted FOX's Big Noon Kickoff pregame show and the Barstool Sports College Football Show over the weekend before its 56-7 win over Nebraska. The Big Noon Kickoff stage was set up outside the south end zone of Memorial Stadium, and the Barstool Sports College Football Show took place on the corner of 17th Street and Woodlawn Avenue, near the grass tailgating fields.

Washington reached the national championship game last season under former Indiana offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer and former Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr., but its 2024 roster and coaching staff are far different. 

Washington’s new head coach is Jedd Fisch, who went 10-3 at Arizona last season. The Huskies are 4-3, most recently losing 40-16 at Iowa, and they had a bye week to prepare for the Hoosiers.

Related stories on Indiana football

  • TODD'S TAKE: Indiana’s football success has had all kinds of positive effects. A visit from ESPN GameDay would be the cherry on the sundae. CLICK HERE
  • KURTIS ROURKE INJURY UPDATE: After suffering a thumb injury in the first half of Saturday's 56-7 win over Nebraska, Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke is not expected to play next week against Washington. CLICK HERE
  • INDIANA MANHANDLES NEBRASKA: Nebraska entered Saturday’s game at Indiana with one of the nation’s top defenses, but the Hoosiers – in both the run and pass game – exploited every aspect of the Cornhuskers’ defense in a 56-7 win. CLICK HERE
  • DEFENSE FORCES RAIOLA'S MISTAKES: Nebraska freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola had thrown three interceptions all season, but he matched that total in Saturday’s 56-7 loss at Indiana. CLICK HERE
  • TODD'S TAKE: This pregame focus was on the hype off the field. That was fun, but Indiana’s football team showed everyone who the big stars really are. CLICK HERE
  • WATCH ELLISON'S TOUCHDOWN: Indiana's offense was rolling in the first half. Running back Justice Ellison put the Hoosiers ahead 28-7 just before halftime with this 31-yard touchdown. CLICK HERE
  • WHAT CIGNETTI SAID: Everything Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said after Indiana's 56-7 win over Nebraska on Saturday. CLICK HERE.
  • LIVE BLOG: Read about Indiana's 56-7 victory over Nebraska as it happened. CLICK HERE.

Published |Modified
Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation writer for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism. Follow on Twitter @ankony_jack.