ESPN College GameDay has not announced its campus location for Week 8, but Ole Miss at Texas is the early favorite to host the weekly studio show with a potential top-10 matchup on deck in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Kalshi, one of the best prediction market apps, gives Austin a 44% chance to host GameDay, making it the early front-runner over other premier matchups like Indiana at Michigan and Texas Tech at Cincinnati. The Longhorns have already welcomed the show once this season, but a visit from the ninth-ranked Rebels could give ESPN a reason to come back.
Below, we break down the latest probabilities, the strongest alternatives, and the games that could change the race. You can also follow our 2026 College GameDay schedule for every confirmed stop and future location projection.
Where is College GameDay in Week 8?
| Matchup | Location | Probability |
|---|---|---|
 Ole Miss Texas |
Austin, TX | 44% |
 Indiana Michigan |
Ann Arbor, MI | 7% |
 Texas Tech Cincinnati |
Cincinnati, OH | 6% |
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi. For help understanding Kalshi probabilities, see our odds calculator.
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Will College GameDay be at Ole Miss vs. Texas?
Quarterback Arch Manning and No. 1 Texas are 4-0, and No. 9 Ole Miss would bring another top-10 opponent to Austin if both teams keep winning. The Rebels haven't faced the Longhorns since their 44-23 win at Texas in 2013, so this would be a fresh matchup between two SEC contenders. The game has an afternoon-or-night television window, leaving room for a prime-time showcase without a kickoff time or network locked in yet.
Both teams have work to do first. Texas faces Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry before hosting No. 16 Florida, while Ole Miss visits Vanderbilt and then welcomes No. 14 Missouri. The Rebels are 3-1 after their 52-28 loss at Florida, and another defeat would make it much harder to sell this as the biggest game of the week.
The strongest argument against Austin is that GameDay was just there for Texas' 24-23 comeback win over Ohio State on Sept. 12. ESPN also featured the Longhorns at Tennessee two weeks later. A return would be easier to justify if Texas is still No. 1 and Ole Miss keeps its top-10 ranking, but it leaves an opening for a campus the show hasn't visited this season.
College GameDay history at Texas
College GameDay has made 11 football visits to Austin, including this season's Ohio State game. Texas had lost its previous four home games with the show in town before rallying past the Buckeyes. Here's a look at the five most recent completed visits:
| Date | Matchup | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 12, 2026 |  Ohio State at Texas |
Texas 24, Ohio State 23 |
| Oct. 19, 2024 |  Georgia at Texas |
Georgia 30, Texas 15 |
| Nov. 12, 2022 |  TCU at Texas |
TCU 17, Texas 10 |
| Sept. 10, 2022 |  Alabama at Texas |
Alabama 20, Texas 19 |
| Sept. 7, 2019 |  LSU at Texas |
LSU 45, Texas 38 |
Where else could College GameDay be in Week 8?
Indiana at Michigan
Indiana gives Ann Arbor a compelling visitor, but Michigan needs to do its part. The Wolverines are 3-2 after consecutive losses to Iowa and Minnesota with a bye before Penn State comes to town on Oct. 17. Beating the Nittany Lions would help restore some appeal, especially if No. 7 Indiana arrives unbeaten. The Hoosiers are 5-0 but still have to survive Nebraska on the road and Ohio State at home. An Indiana win over the Buckeyes would give ESPN plenty to talk about the following Saturday.
Texas Tech at Cincinnati
Cincinnati offers a different setting and a timely hook: the Texas Tech game is the Bearcats' 100th homecoming. The Red Raiders are 5-0 with a bye before hosting Arizona State, while Cincinnati is 4-1 after a 34-7 loss at Arizona and visits West Virginia on Oct. 17. An unbeaten Texas Tech visiting a 5-1 Cincinnati would give the Big 12 a worthwhile alternative, but the Bearcats need a much better showing in Morgantown to make that case convincing.
What could change the Week 8 College GameDay race?
- Texas' next two games: Oklahoma gets the first shot at the No. 1 Longhorns, followed by a Florida team that already beat Ole Miss. Two Texas wins would preserve Austin's biggest selling point: the nation's top-ranked team hosting another playoff contender.
- Ole Miss' response after the bye: The Rebels need to recover from the Florida loss at Vanderbilt before facing Missouri. The Tigers just routed the Gators 45-17, so that Oct. 17 matchup could do more to decide Austin's GameDay chances than anything the Longhorns do that weekend.
- A challenger making its case: Indiana beating Ohio State would put more attention on its trip to Michigan, provided the Wolverines can beat Penn State. Cincinnati and Texas Tech also need wins on Oct. 17 to give their homecoming matchup a stronger national draw.
Has College GameDay announced its Week 8 location?
No. ESPN has not officially announced its College GameDay destination for Saturday, Oct. 24. Austin leads the market, but the location, campus set, and guest picker remain unconfirmed. We'll update this page once ESPN announces its choice.
2026 College GameDay schedule
The first six stops are confirmed, including Tuscaloosa for Georgia at Alabama on Oct. 10.
| Week | Date | Matchup | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sept. 5 |  Clemson at LSU |
Baton Rouge, LA |
| Week 2 | Sept. 12 | Ohio State at Texas |
Austin, TX |
| Week 3 | Sept. 19 | LSU at Ole Miss |
Oxford, MS |
| Week 4 | Sept. 26 | Texas at  Tennessee |
Knoxville, TN |
| Week 5 | Oct. 3 | Ohio State at  Iowa |
Iowa City, IA |
| Week 6 | Oct. 10 | Georgia at Alabama |
Tuscaloosa, AL |
Follow our GameDay schedule for every confirmed location and the latest projections for the rest of the season.
