Predicting ESPN's College GameDay Week 5 Location: Penn State or Georgia?

The No. 6 Oregon Ducks are set to host the Oregon State Beavers on Saturday, Sept. 20, in week 4. Although the in-state rivalry gives the game some anticipation, college football fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of week 5 because of the following matchups between ranked opponents:

No. 6 Oregon at No. 2 Penn State (4:30 p.m. PT, NBC)
No. 14 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia (4:30 p.m. PT, ABC)
No. 3 LSU at No. 13 Ole Miss (12:30 p.m. PT, ABC)
No. 22 Auburn at No. 10 Texas A&M (12:30 p.m. PT, ESPN)
No. 25 USC at No. 9 Illinois (9 a.m. PT, FOX)

Nick Saban, left, and Lee Corso talk on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the Ohio State, Texas gam — Nick Saban, left, and Lee Corso talk on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Where Will ESPN's College GameDay Be?

The prime time slots are filled with a top-10 matchup in the Big Ten and a top-15 matchup in the SEC, leaving ESPN's College GameDay with a rather difficult choice for where to send the popular show for week 5. Through four weeks, GameDay will have visited two SEC schools (Oklahoma, Tennessee), one Big Ten school (Ohio State), and one ACC program (Miami).

However, every single game featured by the beloved morning show has featured a team from the SEC:

Week 1: Texas at Ohio State
Week 2: Michigan at Oklahoma
Week 3: Georgia at Tennessee
Week 4: Florida at Miami

Week 5 Prediction

The GameDay cast and crew will choose not to feature their network's own game, instead picking the Oregon vs. Penn State game, the higher-ranked matchup.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, right, talks with Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore during warmups — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, right, talks with Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore during warmups as the Oregon Ducks host the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 6, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Argument for Oregon vs. Penn State

Instantly, the Oregon vs. Penn State game makes sense for multiple reasons. Not only is it the only top-10 matchup of the weekend, the matchup will also be Penn State's renowned "white out" game, one of the most exciting environments in all of college football.

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Oregon beat Penn State 45-37 in the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game, and the regular season matchup between Oregon and Penn State could be key in determining which teams make the Big Ten title game in 2025.

Over the summer, FanDuel released early odds for the game with Penn State favored by 4.5 points. The latest odds are expected to be released after the week 4 slate of college football.

Argument for Alabama vs. Georgia

Sep 13, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; The Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart looks on after the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. | Alan Poizner-Imagn Images

On the other hand, ESPN's College GameDay could find themselves in Athens, Georgia, as Alabama comes into town to face the Bulldogs. With SEC stakes on the line and the game being broadcast on prime time by ESPN's sister company, ABC, some signs point to GameDay picking Alabama vs. Georgia over Oregon vs. Penn State.

With Alabama's season-opening loss to Florida State, the Crimson Tide are one of the biggest stories of the college football season. Can they redeem themselves on the road against Georgia?

The Bulldogs were recently featured on College GameDay before taking down Tennessee on the road, but the popular show could prioritize a trip to Georgia. Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and his team are set to host No. 13 Ole Miss, No. 8 Texas, and No. 18 in the regular season, but there's no guarantee any of those teams hold their ranking.

However, the same could be said for Penn State. The Nittany Lions' biggest game after facing Oregon will be a road trip to No. 1 Ohio State. The next biggest home game for Penn State will be hosting No. 19 Indiana on Nov. 8.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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