Where is College GameDay? How to Watch ESPN Kick Off Week 1 College Football

Where is College GameDay this week? ESPN and College GameDay hit the road for the first time this season, planting their flag deep in SEC country in anticipation of a massive showdown between Clemson and LSU that finds Lane Kiffin making his debut on the sideline in Baton Rouge.

The network’s flagship college football program will air live from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, Sept. 5 ahead of the SEC vs. ACC battle between Tigers and Tigers and plenty of other matchups across the country.

Tigers vs. Tigers. Lane vs. Dabo. Under the lights.

Where is College GameDay? How to Watch ESPN Kick Off Week 1 College Football — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is the moment Lane Kiffin has been waiting for. Enough to walk out on the Ole Miss team he helped put in the College Football Playoff right when they were about to make their debut in it, jumping ship for apparently greener pastures at LSU.

Kiffin did his part this offseason, building the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country and bringing on a solid recruiting class, ensuring he’ll have a quarterback in Sam Leavitt with plenty of experience.

Can they run the ball, though? They couldn’t last season, ranking 126th nationally on that score, but have Harlem Berry and Caden Durham as a capable backfield duo. New offensive tackle Jordan Seaton from Colorado will help this line push people around, too.

Dabo is another big underdog

Clemson isn’t in the best place these days. Once an early College Football Playoff dynasty that won two national titles, both against Nick Saban, this was a 7-6 team a year ago and has gone through a coordinator carousel that just hasn’t produced.

Chad Morris is back from the old days to orchestrate this offense, and while he has a very solid group of wide receivers like Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore, there’s one big question at quarterback and on the offensive line going against a good LSU defense on the road at night.

What’s on for college football in Week 1

As is often the case in the opener, and usually a couple weeks after that, college football will be cupcake central, with marquee programs playing their usual tune-up games.

That’s true for reigning national champion Indiana, which debuts at home against North Texas. For Alabama, against East Carolina. For top ranked Ohio State, against Ball State. For Georgia, against Tennessee State. And for Texas, against Texas State.

Ranked teams take over on Sunday

Sunday’s slate will prove more entertaining, and potentially more consequential.

Washington, ranked No. 17 in the preseason poll, opens in the Apple Cup rivalry as big favorites against Washington State, and in primetime, fourth ranked playoff hopeful Notre Dame heads to Lambeau Field opposite a Wisconsin team that really, really needs a big win for Luke Fickell.

Ole Miss and Louisville, ranked 9th and 24th, respectively, face each other in the Music City Kickoff from Nashville, with the Rebels hoping to prove they can still compete in the post-Lane Kiffin era, and the Cardinals looking to make a massive statement and emerge as an insurgent threat in the ACC.

How to watch College GameDay

When: Sat., Sept. 5
Where: Baton Rouge, La.
Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastern
TV: ESPN network

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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