There are many traditions that make college football unique from other sports, but none of them are as special as ESPN’s pregame program “College GameDay.” Every Saturday morning, millions of college football fans wake up and tune to ESPN for three hours of breakdowns, story lines and predictions for the matchups ahead. Although pregame shows are pretty common across all sports, “College GameDay” is unique as it travels to a different college campus and airs live in front of hundreds of fans and students. As “College GameDay” chooses what locations to go to based on the matchups that are the most intriguing, here are our predictions for where they will be each week. 

Week 0: Nebraska vs. Northwestern (Dublin, Ireland) 

There is a good chance that “College GameDay” doesn’t go anywhere for Week 0, but the fact that this game is being played in Ireland makes it an interesting opportunity to put on a show. The logistics of sending a whole production team and ESPN’s best college football talents overseas amid a global pandemic may be a little tough to do. Chances are they don’t do anything here. But it’s still fun to think about Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit in Ireland. 

Week 1: Notre Dame @ Ohio State

I’m cheating on this one as ESPN has already announced that it will be in Columbus for what should be the first top-10 matchup of the season. Notre Dame and Ohio State should be in the College Football Playoff conversation, and both teams have the chance to make an early statement in primetime on opening weekend. It’s easy to see why ESPN chose this matchup.

Week 2: Alabama @ Texas 

Is Texas back? We’ll find out early in the season in this matchup against the Evil Empire that is Alabama. The Longhorns had a busy offseason, acquiring coveted quarterback transfer Quinn Ewers. The young signal caller will be tested early against the Crimson Tide, who we all expect to be a title favorite. It’s a no-brainer for ESPN to pick this matchup for its “GameDay” party.

Week 3: Miami @ Texas A&M 

“GameDay” is back in the Lone Star State for the second week in a row as it showcases the matchup between the Aggies and The U. Mario Cristobal takes his new team deep into Aggieland to take on Jimbo Fisher and his historic recruiting class. Another early matchup that could have playoff implications, this is a pretty easy choice for “GameDay.” It would also be the first time “College GameDay” made a trip to College Station since 2018.

Week 4: Clemson @ Wake Forest

“College GameDay” has only visited Winston-Salem and the Wake Forest campus once back in 2020, and this is a prime matchup to make a return. Coming off its unprecedented run to the ACC Championship Game, Wake Forest is looking to keep its momentum going in a litmus test against Dabo Swinney and his Tigers team. The Tigers are looking to bounce back to their ACC dominance after a tough 2021 season. This matchup can set the tone for the ACC moving forward, and it has the potential to be a top-15 matchup.  

Week 5: Oklahoma State @ Baylor 

A rematch of the 2021 Big 12 Championship Game, both squads look to recapture their magic and can take a big step in doing so with a win here. If everything goes right, both teams can be undefeated and make this a possible matchup between top-15 teams. If that’s the case, I can’t see “GameDay” staying away as it visits Texas for the third time in four weeks. 

Week 6: Texas A&M @ Alabama 

I mean this is a no-brainer. This was already an intriguing matchup following their classic game last season, but given the recent developments between these head coaches, this matchup got a whole lot more interesting. This should already be penciled in the calendars at ESPN headquarters, and I don’t think record or ranking is going to stop “GameDay” from being in Tuscaloosa for this high-profile matchup. 

Week 7: USC @ Utah 

By this point in the season, the top 25 will begin to take shape into a more realistic ranking, so this is where the “College GameDay” sites get a little unpredictable. However, with USC winning the transfer portal in the offseason and Utah poised to have another good season, the Utes are in prime position to host “GameDay” for the first time since 2016. If both teams are in the positions we predict them to be at this point in the season, this will be a very intriguing Pac-12 matchup.

Week 8: Texas @ Oklahoma State 

The results of two games we’ve previously mentioned will determine if “College GameDay” will be in Stillwater in what should be a heavyweight fight in the Big 12. A stepping stone to the Big 12 title game, this game between the Longhorns and Cowboys has the potential to be a top-five matchup between undefeated or one-loss teams. If the stars align, I can’t imagine “GameDay” passing this up. 

Week 9: Michigan @ Michigan State 

After an incredible undefeated, top-10 matchup last season between these in-state rivals, it’s not hard to imagine a similar scenario in 2022. Michigan is coming off a playoff appearance poised to prove it wasn’t a fluke. The Spartans, on the other hand, will look to continue their ascent in the Big 10 and reach the playoff for the first time since 2015. These teams appear to be on a collision course, and the rivalry adds to an atmosphere that “GameDay” will have a hard time passing up.  

Week 10: Clemson @ Notre Dame

As we reach the home stretch of the regular season, every game becomes even more important. This has the potential for a top-five matchup, and a loss for either team could certainly result in elimination from CFP contention. With the history these teams have with each other, and with the potential for this to be a top-10 matchup, South Bend is poised to host the “GameDay” crew.

Week 11: Alabama @ Ole Miss

In a matchup that may determine the SEC West, the mighty Crimson Tide head to Oxford to face the new-look Rebels after the latter acquired guys like Jaxson Dart and Zach Evans to bolster Lane Kiffin’s offense. If the Rebels perform as well as they should on paper, this could be a heavyweight fight to clinch a spot in the SEC Championship Game. Alabama looks primed to be even better than it was last year, and this will be a chance to really flex its muscles and show that no matter what, it is the king of the SEC. 

Week 12: Georgia @ Kentucky

Similar to the previous week, this could potentially be a matchup to determine a spot in Atlanta for the SEC title game. The defending national champions look to continue their dominance over their division opponents, while the Wildcats seem to be the only team in the SEC East to have the pieces to try to compete with Georgia. If Kentucky can remain relatively unscathed by this point in the season, it may be the perfect opportunity for “GameDay” to head to Lexington for a sport other than basketball. It would be “College GameDay’s” second appearance in Lexington and the first since 2007.

Week 13: Michigan @ Ohio State 

Another no-brainer. Arguably the greatest rivalry in college football, this seems like the easy choice for the “GameDay” crew. With both teams on track to have pretty good seasons, this could be one of the most competitive games in recent years of  “The Game.” If both teams can get to the season finale with one or fewer losses, this could be the matchup of the season, with two highly-ranked teams fighting to cement their spot in the Big 10 title game, and eventually, the College Football Playoff. 

Conference Championship Week: Alabama vs. Georgia

Barring significant setbacks or unlikely upsets, Alabama and Georgia are poised to be on a collision course to face off in Atlanta for the second consecutive season. Both will most likely be highly-ranked as well, setting up a gargantuan matchup for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Both teams being undefeated may dilute the stakes a little as it will probably result in both teams making the CFP regardless. But it should still be the best matchup of the weekend.