How Penn State Has Fared With ESPN College GameDay on Campus

ESPN will bring its college football pregame show to State College for the Penn State-Oregon game.

The ESPN College GameDay crew prepares to broadcast from the field prior to the game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After an under-the-radar start to the season, Penn State is going all out for its Big Ten opener vs. Oregon. Penn State already announced that the Ducks' Sept. 27 visit to Beaver Stadium would be the 2025 White Out. ESPN College GameDay will add to the festivities.

The network announced Saturday that it will bring its traveling college football roadshow to State College for the Penn State-Oregon game, which NBC will air in prime time. The game is the biggest of the young Big Ten season. No. 6 Oregon improved to 4-0 with a 41-7 trouncing of in-state rival Oregon State. No. 2 Penn State (3-0) had the weekend off.

ESPN College GameDay will make its 12th appearance at Penn State for a game and second in the last two seasons. The show originated from State College for the 2024 Penn State-Ohio State game.

In a news release, Penn State said that GameDay will air live from Penn State's Old Main lawn beginning at 9 a.m. ET. Host Rece Davis will be joined at the desk by Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban.

What is Penn State's record with GameDay in town?

GUESS WHO’S BAAAAAAACK!#WeAre | @CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/5XywUgFFOi

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) September 20, 2025

Penn State has a long history with ESPN College GameDay dating to 1994, when it was on-site for the Nittany Lions' trip to Michigan. This week marks GameDay's 26th appearance at a Penn State game. Half of those appearances were for Penn State-Ohio State games, including in 2023 and '24.

Penn State's record when hosting GameDay on campus is 5-6, with four of those losses to the Buckeyes. Penn State last won with GameDay on-site in 2021, when it defeated Auburn 28-20 in a high-profile non-conference game. Penn State also has two wins over Michigan with GameDay in town.

RELATED: Is the Oregon game a must-win for Penn State?

Here's a look at Penn State's history with ESPN College GameDay on campus:

• 2024: Ohio State 20, Penn State 13

• 2021: Penn State 28, Auburn 20

• 2020: Ohio State 35, Penn State 28

• 2019: Penn State 28, Michigan 21

• 2018: Ohio State 27, Penn State 26

• 2017: Penn State 42, Michigan 13

• 2009: Iowa 21, Penn State 10

•  2007: Ohio State 37, Penn State 17

• 2005: Penn State 17, Ohio State 10

• 1999: Penn State 41, Arizona 7

• 1997: Michigan 34, Penn State 8

Penn State starts a fresh rivalry with Oregon

The Oregon Ducks run onto the field Saturday for the 2024 Big Ten Championship Game vs. the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon is making its first visit to Penn State since 1964, when the Ducks won 22-14 in their only appearance at Beaver Stadium. The Ducks and Nittany Lions will renew a fresh rivalry that began with last year's Big Ten Championship Game. Penn State attempted to rally from an 18-point rally behind quarterback Drew Allar and Nicholas Singleton but fell 45-37.

Even before Oregon's win over Oregon State, Ducks coach Dan Lanning was peeking ahead to the Penn State game.

"That's part of what's been so exciting for me coming to the Big Ten: getting to play in venues that we're getting to play in, and Penn State will be an unbelievable venue," Lanning said on the "Wake Up Barstool" show.

RELATED: Oregon already is preparing for the Penn State White Out

NEXT STOP: HAPPY VALLEY 👀

See you next Saturday for a top-10 matchup between Oregon and Penn State 🍿 pic.twitter.com/e4Gf5RFKka

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 20, 2025