For the first time ever, ESPN is taking College GameDay to Lawrence, Kansas.
After the Kansas Jayhawks took down the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday to improve to 5-0, ESPN announced that College GameDay will go to Lawrence for next Saturday’s edition of the popular college football pregame show.
https://twitter.com/CollegeGameDay/status/1576398205381931009
https://twitter.com/RedditCFB/status/1576399114350530562
It’s sure to be a wild environment in Lawrence, with Kansas hosting TCU in the early window at 12 p.m. ET on FS1 (right when College GameDay concludes on ESPN). TCU is also undefeated and annihilated No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday, 55-24.
So, while the Jayhawks’ success is one of the top stories in college football this season, and that may have been enough for ESPN’s decision, the game vs TCU is actually a very intriguing Big 12 matchup featuring two unbeaten teams.
Kansas is making a remarkable jump in year two under head coach Lance Leipold (previously the University at Buffalo head coach from 2015-20). The Jayhawks went 2-10 in 2021 after an 0-9 season under Les Miles in 2020. Kansas last won at least five games in 2009 (5-7) and last had a winning season in 2008 (8-5; won the Insight Bowl).
Maybe the juggernaut basketball school — and 2022 NCAA Tournament champion — is actually a legitimately good football school now too.
Related: Lee Corso “under the weather,” misses College GameDay broadcast