It’s back.
ESPN’s “College GameDay” is coming to Harrisonburg on Saturday for JMU football’s game vs. Washington State, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. It’s the pregame show’s fourth trip to Harrisonburg and first since 2023.
ESPN will visit JMU football ahead of the Dukes’ clash against the Cougars, who nearly upset Ole Miss and Virginia earlier this year. With a mediocre week of Power Conference matchups, GameDay opted to find a unique atmosphere and matchup for this weekend’s show.
It helps that JMU is 9-1 and in contention to make the College Football Playoff. It’s expected to be a sellout crowd Saturday inside Bridgeforth Stadium, and the College GameDay experience only adds to the hype around Saturday’s game.
Saturday’s atmosphere — both for the show and at the game — should be electric.
JMU’s previous appearances on GameDay set attendance records — the Quad was filled with more than 20,000 people in 2023. This game is also JMU’s “Marvel Day,” as fans are encouraged to dress as their favorite Marvel characters, and players will have superheroes on one side of their helmets. Disney, which owns ESPN and the Marvel franchise, will surely use Saturday for marketing purposes.
Regardless of the Disney marketing machine’s plans, JMU gets to bask in the national spotlight again Saturday. For a football program just four years into its FBS era, it’s significant to earn a GameDay appearance in late November.
JMU’s previously hosted episodes in 2015, 2017, and 2023. The Dukes’ run on the show now spans several coaching staffs. JMU’s four most recent coaches (Everett Withers, Mike Houston, Curt Cignetti and now Bob Chesney) will all have experienced a College GameDay show in Harrisonburg.
The Dukes are 1-2 in games played with GameDay in town, losing to Richmond in 2015, beating Villanova in 2017, and losing to App State in 2023.
Photo courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications
