Possible Scenarios That Could Land College Gameday In SLC For Utah/Oregon Game
Nov 8, 2021, 3:27 PM | Updated: Nov 9, 2021, 2:14 pm
(Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – ESPN’s award winning show College Gameday could potentially come to Salt Lake City for Utah’s game against Oregon on Nov. 20.
It might be a long shot but it’s a possibility that College Gameday could return to Utah in 2021. Of course, it’s up to where the College Gameday staff wants to hold their show and there isn’t a blueprint for where they go but that weekend when the Ducks come to Rice-Eccles Stadium could make it to where the show can’t resist.
This game is going to likely be the first of two meetings between the two schools. Oregon is a heavy favorite to win the North Division and Utah has nearly locked up the Pac-12 South Division, that would set up a showdown at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Friday, December 3 for the conference crown.
Again, this is just scenarios that could help Utah’s case to host College Gameday. The decision ultimately remains with ESPN and College Gameday.
In GameDay's first trip to Cincy, Coach takes the Bearcats‼️ pic.twitter.com/AbxHeNxItD
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 6, 2021
Scenarios That Could Bring College Gameday To Utah For Oregon Game
First thing, Utah and Oregon would need to win their games this Saturday. Utah is heavily favored to beat Arizona in Tucson on Saturday as the Wildcats recently snapped a 20-game losing streak by beating a shorthanded Cal team.
Oregon has a bigger challenge as they host Washington State. The Cougars are one game behind the Ducks in the loss column in the division standings.
Kickoff time for Utah and Oregon has not been announced yet. It has entered the six-day window and will be announced on Sunday, November 14. According to Jon Wilner of the Bay Area News Group, Utah/Oregon will kickoff at either 1:30, 2 or 5:30 p.m. MT. Network is to be determined but best guess is either FOX or ESPN.
It was ours from the start. #Timber pic.twitter.com/Pk6UjKx4yw
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) November 7, 2021
Other games on that weekend that could cause College Gameday to not come to Salt Lake City is a top-10 matchup, Ohio State versus Michigan State. That kickoff time is still to be determined as well. My guess is that ESPN and the Big Noon FOX crews are fighting over this game. Even if Big Noon FOX gets the game, that won’t stop College Gameday from doing their show in Columbus.
That scenario happened two weeks ago when Michigan State hosted Michigan. The game was televised on the Big Noon FOX slot but College Gameday did their show in East Lansing.
College Gameday History In Salt Lake City
College Gameday has been to Salt Lake City four times. The first appearance was in 2004 when Urban Meyer and the Utes hosted BYU in the regular season finale. Utah beat BYU to finish the season undefeated and clinch a berth to the Fiesta Bowl. They were the first non-BCS program to win a BCS Bowl Game after knocking off Pittsburgh.
The second game that Gameday was in town was in 2010 in a game that Utes fans try to forget. TCU came in and beat Utah 47-7. In 2015, Gameday appeared before Utah beat eventual No. 1 pick Jared Goff and Cal, 30-24. The next appearance was the following year when Utah lost to Washington in 2016.
OXFORD … YOU'RE UP NEXT!
See you Saturday for @AggieFootball vs. @OleMissFB! pic.twitter.com/BtImXga12f
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 7, 2021
Other Games That Could Be Considered
Three other games could potentially host College Gameday other than the Ohio State/Michigan State game and Utah/Oregon. Cincinnati is hosting SMU that weekend but College Gameday was just there this past weekend so that’s highly doubtful.
Pittsburgh hosting Virginia is another option as it’s a big ACC game with the Cavaliers at 6-3 and Panthers at 7-2. Last option (in my opinion) is Iowa State traveling to Oklahoma. The Cyclones are 6-3, while the Sooners are 9-0.
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com, Co-Host of Faith, Family and Football podcast with Clark Phillips III and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports.
