College GameDay is back for its 40th season in 2026, and we already know the first three campuses that will host the popular ESPN college football show in September.
We're tracking every stop on the 2026 College GameDay schedule with confirmed campus locations and early predictions from the best prediction market apps for the entire season. We'll update this page throughout the season as ESPN announces new locations and on-field results change the projected picture for some of the biggest weeks of the season.
Where is College GameDay this week?
College GameDay will open its 2026 season with Clemson vs. LSU in Baton Rouge, La., a monumental non-conference matchup to headline the Week 1 schedule on Saturday, Sept. 5. ESPN will celebrate the show's 500th road broadcast with its 15th all-time trip to LSU's campus.
The three-hour College GameDay broadcast begins at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN and ESPNU before Clemson and LSU kick off later that night.
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2026 College GameDay schedule
We've broken down the full College GameDay schedule with confirmed locations and projected matchups for the rest of the season. The first three College GameDay locations have been officially announced, while future matchups shown in italics are the current favorites in Kalshi's prediction markets and have not been confirmed by ESPN.
| Week | Date | Matchup (Location) | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sept. 5 |  Clemson at  LSU (Baton Rouge, LA) |
Confirmed |
| Week 2 | Sept. 12 |  Ohio State at  Texas (Austin, TX) |
Confirmed |
| Week 3 | Sept. 19 | LSU at  Ole Miss (Oxford, MS) |
Confirmed |
| Week 4 | Sept. 26 |  Oklahoma at  Georgia (Athens, GA) |
60% |
| Week 5 | Oct. 3 |  Miami at Clemson (Clemson, SC) |
47% |
| Week 6 | Oct. 10 | Georgia at  Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL) |
65% |
| Week 7 | Oct. 17 | Ohio State at  Indiana (Bloomington, IN) |
68% |
| Week 8 | Oct. 24 | Ole Miss at Texas (Austin, TX) |
44% |
| Week 9 | Oct. 31 | TBD | — |
| Week 10 | Nov. 7 | Miami at  Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN) |
79% |
| Week 11 | Nov. 14 | TBD | — |
| Week 12 | Nov. 21 | TBD | — |
| Week 13 | Nov. 28 | TBD | — |
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi. Projected locations are not official ESPN selections and are subject to change. Where Kalshi has not yet established a priced favorite, the projected matchup is listed as TBD. For help understanding Kalshi probabilities, see our odds calculator.
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Future College GameDay locations
While we already know the first three matchups of the season, ESPN typically doesn't announce upcoming College GameDay locations until closer to kickoff. That leaves plenty of time for upsets and hot starts to upend the current projections for later in the season. We'll keep this page updated throughout the season with specific guides for each week.
Where will College GameDay be in Week 4?
Oklahoma at Georgia is the current favorite to host College GameDay in Week 4 with Kalshi featuring a 60% probability for GameDay to head to Athens, Ga. That is currently trading ahead of Oregon-USC and Texas A&M-LSU on a loaded Sept. 26 slate.
Oklahoma-Georgia would feature two preseason top-10 teams and the Sooners' first-ever trip to Athens, but it would also mark the fourth straight matchup involving an SEC team, which might be heavy even for ESPN's standards.
Current Week 4 favorites:
| Matchup (Location) | Probability |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma at Georgia (Athens, GA) |
60% |
 Oregon at  USC (Los Angeles, CA) |
26% |
 Texas A&M at LSU (Baton Rouge, LA) |
13% |
Where will College GameDay go in Week 4?
See why Oklahoma-Georgia leads the market, the biggest alternatives on the board, and what could change before ESPN makes its decision.
How are College GameDay locations chosen?
ESPN doesn't publish a specific formula for choosing College GameDay locations. The show naturally gravitates toward some of the biggest and most consequential games on the college football schedule, but rankings aren't the only factor.
Major rivalries, conference and playoff implications, national storylines, campus atmosphere, and previous history at that location all factor into ESPN's final decision. The show has shown a preference for new locations in recent years, though it won't turn down a marquee matchup when available.
ESPN also has complete discretion over the final destination, which is why the Kalshi markets should be viewed as live projections rather than official selections.
College GameDay location history
College GameDay began its traveling era in 1993 and will celebrate its 500th road broadcast when Clemson visits LSU in Week 1 of the 2026 season.
Which school has hosted College GameDay the most?
Ohio State has hosted College GameDay more than any other school with 26 campus visits entering the 2026 season.
The Buckeyes also lead all programs with 67 College GameDay appearances entering 2026, ahead of Alabama with 60.
Which Power Four schools have never hosted College GameDay?
Entering the 2026 season, six Power Four schools are still waiting for their first on-campus College GameDay visit:
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Rutgers
- SMU
- Syracuse
- Virginia
That list has gradually shrunk as ESPN has taken the show to new campuses across the country, which could leave the door wide open for one of those six programs to host this year if they get off to a hot start.
College GameDay FAQs
What time does College GameDay start?
College GameDay airs on Saturday mornings beginning at 9 a.m. ET and runs for three hours before the noon college football window begins.
What channel is College GameDay on?
College GameDay airs on ESPN and ESPNU and is available via streaming through the ESPN App and Disney+ throughout the season.
When does ESPN announce the College GameDay location?
There isn't a fixed announcement schedule for College GameDay locations. ESPN sometimes locks in marquee destinations weeks or even months ahead of time, while other selections aren't confirmed until much closer to the upcoming Saturday.
The first two locations of the 2026 season were announced months in advance, while ESPN confirmed its Week 3 trip to Ole Miss on Aug. 21, nearly a month before LSU visits Oxford, Miss.
