What Pitt Students Need to Know for Gameday vs. Notre Dame

When it was announced that ESPN's College GameDay will be covering the Pitt Panthers' noon matchup against Notre Dame, one thought flashed through many Pitt students' heads: "How early will I have to wake up for this?"

As it turns out, pretty early. Here's a complete guide of what to do, where to go, and what to expect for College GameDay.

When to Get Up and Where to Go

The pregame show will take place on the Great Lawn in the North Shore, right next to Acrisure Stadium. The show will be from 9 a.m. to noon. If you're worried about choosing between attending the pregame show and getting a good seat, have no fear.

Pitt Athletics confirmed that the first 1,000 students who go to Gate B outside Acrisure Stadium sometime between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. will be able to get a wristband that secures a lower bowl seat in sections 124/125. This allows students to attend College GameDay, ACC Huddle, or a tailgate and not have to worry about spending all morning waiting in line.

The seats are only secure for those with wristbands until 11:30 a.m. After then, it's anybody's game.

So, how early should you get there? If you roll up to Gate B right at 9 a.m., don't expect to get a wristband. 1,000 spots is a lot, though, so being there right at 5 a.m. might not totally be necessary either. Just be aware that there will be many people who will literally be camping out in the early hours of gameday. Aiming to be at Gate B at 7:30 a.m. at the latest would probably be a good goal.

The student shuttles from Oakland to Acrisure Stadium will start at a very early 5 a.m. They will be in their usual spot of between Nordenberg Hall and Soldiers and Sailors.

All parking lots for the game will open at 6 a.m. Public transportation is also an option for students, as per usual.

Pat McAfee Kicking Challenge

To all the former high school soccer players who watched College GameDay and thought about their chances of making the kick, this is your opportunity.

The first 300 people to arrive at the GameDay set will be entered in a raffle system to participate in the kicking challenge. This is something that people will definitely camp out for, so if you like your chances of this, be there early. It's not known exactly when they'll start registering people for the raffle, but 5 a.m. is a safe bet.

The kicking challenge is a College GameDay tradition where one student is selected to complete a 33-yard field goal attempt. If the kicker makes it, they get a cash prize, with a portion going to charity. The most recent kicking challenge saw a Texas Tech student win $250,000 in his second attempt.

Pitt student — The Pittsburgh Panthers student section cheers in the first quarter of the NCAA football game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Cincinnati Bearcats at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. The Bearcats led 20-7 at halftime. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Full Stadium

Something to expect is a lot of traffic, outside and inside the stadium. No. 22 Pitt taking on No. 9 Notre Dame is a sold-out matchup. It doesn't happen often, but we'll see a completely full Acrisure Stadium for a Pitt football game.

While this might be bad news for Pitt students who want a good seat, just know that any seat in the stadium will likely be surrounded by passionate fans of either team.

This will be the most chaotic gameday for Pitt students and fans in years, but that's a good price to pay for the most hyped up Pitt game in some time.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt