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Is Notre Dame at BYU the Favorite to Host College GameDay?

Could Notre Dame's likely top 10 matchup at BYU be the host site for 'College GameDay'?
Nick Shepkowski|
ESPN’s “College GameDay” set is built in front of Ayres Hall, on University of Tennessee’s campus in Knoxville, Tenn., Sept. 23, 2026.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” set is built in front of Ayres Hall, on University of Tennessee’s campus in Knoxville, Tenn., Sept. 23, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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While we all assume Notre Dame will be the host to ESPN College GameDay when Miami comes to town in a possible top-five showdown next month, could the Fighting Irish be on site for the show next week?

There is certainly reason to believe that BYU, who hosts Notre Dame next weekend, is in the running to host the weekly show.

BYU is currently unbeaten at 4-0 after beating TCU 17-10 in Fort Worth this past weekend.

It plays at home against Iowa State this Friday night, the only thing standing between it and an unbeaten record when Notre Dame comes to town.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame sits at 5-0 and has a date with lowly Stanford this weekend, before heading to Provo, Utah.

ABC Picks Up Notre Dame at BYU Game Next Week

The game times for next weekend's college football slate were officially announced on Monday, as Notre Dame and BYU will play in primetime on ABC.

This is a slot where seemingly nine times out of a 10, an SEC game takes place, but instead of the ranked conference matchups between LSU and Mississippi State, Missouri and Ole Miss, and Alabama and Tennessee, the network instead went with Notre Dame's trip to BYU in primetime.

Of course some SEC types lost their minds over this move, because how dare ABC or ESPN acknowledge the fact college football exists outside of the Southeastern United States!

Will 'College GameDay' Follow to Notre Dame at BYU?

There is certainly a chance that Notre Dame's trip to BYU, which will almost certainly be a battle of unbeatens and top 10 teams, will be the setting for College GameDay.

There is one big potential speedbump to that, though, and it actually has nothing to do with any of those previously mentioned SEC matchups.

Indiana hosts Ohio State that day in a rematch of last year's Big Ten Championship game, in a game that is set to kickoff at noon ET on Fox.

Fox's Big Noon Kickoff will be there, and if I'm ESPN, am I really going to pass on the Ohio State vs. Indiana matchup twice in less than a year, as it did when the Buckeyes and Hoosiers were ranked as the nation's top-two teams last season?

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thought

College GameDay used to be can't miss TV for any college football fan when it wasn't carrying the water for an entire conference.

When it would actually go to the biggest game each week, instead of forcing a narrative down our throats about the SEC each week.

I could see it pitching its own product and with BYU being a top 10 team, capitalizing on getting Notre Dame is a solid idea, but can it really justify passing on Indiana and Ohio State twice in roughly 10 months?

That's not the decision I'd be making with Notre Dame almost certainly hosting the show a few weeks down the road.

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Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

Managing Editor for Notre Dame On SI. Started covering Chicago sports teams for WSCR the Score, and over the years worked with CBS Radio, Audacy, NBC Sports, and FOX Sports as a contributor before running the Notre Dame wire site for USA TODAY.

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