ESPN’s “College GameDay” is venturing outside the Southeastern Conference for the first time this season, announcing Wednesday that it will broadcast from Iowa City ahead of Saturday’s top-25 Big Ten showdown between No. 5 Ohio State and No. 14 Iowa at Kinnick Stadium.
Host Rece Davis will be joined by former Alabama coach Nick Saban and analysts Pat McAfee, Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit. The crew opened the season in Baton Rouge for LSU’s debut under Lane Kiffin, then traveled to Austin for Texas-Ohio State, Oxford for Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss, and Knoxville for Texas-Tennessee.
Iowa will host “GameDay” for just the third time in school history and the first time since 2006. Notably, all three Iowa City broadcasts have featured the same matchup — Ohio State visiting the Hawkeyes. The first GameDay broadcast from Kinnick Stadium came in October 1995.
The Buckeyes (3-1) arrive riding the momentum of a 42-19 Big Ten-opening win over Illinois, powered by a career day from star receiver Jeremiah Smith: 12 catches, 217 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 367 yards in the victory. Ohio State sits No. 5 in the AP Top 25 and No. 6 in the coaches poll.
Iowa (4-0) brings its own story line after rallying for a 20-19 road win at Michigan last week — the Hawkeyes’ first road victory over a ranked Big Ten opponent since 2015. Michigan outgained Iowa 429-285, but the Hawkeyes limited mistakes and executed when it mattered.
Saturday also marks Saban’s first public appearance in Iowa City in many years. His Michigan State teams fell to the Hawkeyes 37-30 there on Oct. 5, 1996, during his 1995-99 tenure with the Spartans.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on CBS, with GameDay beginning at 9 a.m. ET.