- College football’s premier pregame show celebrates 500th show on the road from Baton Rouge in Week 1 before continuing its 40th season in Austin and Oxford
- Kirk Herbstreit marks 30th anniversary of joining College GameDay
- For the first time since 2002, College GameDay’s first three shows will originate from the campuses of three different preseason AP Top 15 teams
ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will return its full nine-member on-air team for the 2026-27 season, as the storied franchise celebrates its 40th season and 500th show on the road. Rece Davis resumes his role as host alongside analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and “Stanford Steve” Coughlin, with Jen Lada, Jess Sims and Pete Thamel reporting throughout the season. This season also marks 30 years since Herbstreit made his GameDay debut in Boulder, Colo., on Sept. 14, 1996.
“College GameDay holds a unique place in sports media because of the incredible team that brings it to life each week,” said Matthew Garrett, Vice President of Production for ESPN, who oversees ESPN’s portfolio of college football studio shows. “Together, our on-air talent team serves as the connective tissue between the game and the fans, celebrating the athletes, traditions and communities that define college football. Their storytelling, analysis, authenticity and love for college football make every Saturday special. We’re thrilled to have the entire College GameDay team back for our landmark 40th season.”
The first three weeks of the season are officially set: GameDay will travel to Baton Rouge, La., for its 500th show on the road in Week 1, followed by Austin, Texas, in Week 2 and Oxford, Miss., in Week 3 as Lane Kiffin makes his highly anticipated return to Ole Miss as head coach of LSU. For the first time since 2002, College GameDay’s first three shows will originate from the campuses of three different preseason AP Top 15 teams: LSU (11th), Texas (5th) and Ole Miss (9th). Additional details surrounding the shows will be announced in the weeks ahead.
College GameDay enters the 2026-27 season following its most-viewed season in show history and its third consecutive Sports Emmy win for Outstanding Weekly Sports Studio Show — its 11th win in the category and 17th Sports Emmy overall.
Countdown to GameDay
Harry Douglas and Harry Lyles Jr. return for their fifth season as co-hosts of ESPN’s social and digital pre-pregame show, Countdown to GameDay Presented by Dr Pepper. This season, Jess Sims joins the duo as a co-host, contributing live reporting from the scene of College GameDay each week. The show is available across ESPN on YouTube, Facebook and the ESPN App weekly at 8:20 a.m. ET.
About College GameDay Built by The Home Depot
ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot enters its 40th season in 2026 – and 33rd originating from game sites. College GameDay has won the Sports Emmy in 2026, 2025, 2024, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2011, 2010 and 2008 for best weekly studio show; in 2021, 2019 and 2018 for best technical studio team; in 2018 and 2023 for outstanding sports feature: short form; and in 2026 for outstanding edited sports special for “Not So Fast, My Friend: A Lee Corso Special,” totaling 17 Sports Emmys for the premier college football pregame show. College GameDay airs every Saturday at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN, ESPNU, the ESPN App and Disney+ throughout the college football season.
ESPN has created special logos to commemorate both the 40th season and the 500th show on the road. Each logo is available for download here.
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Media contact: Courtney Clawson – Courtney.Clawson@espn.com; @CourtClawESPN