ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ has been a toss-up when featuring Texas Longhorns and Michigan Wolverines

For all the hype surrounding ESPN’s “College GameDay” traveling circus, does it translate to automatic success when they’re coming to your city?

Well, not exactly. It’s a toss-up.

Saturday marks the 15th time Michigan will host Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and the gang on the Ann Arbor campus. It’ll be the Wolverines’ 40th appearance as a featured team in the spotlight game. But Michigan is just 21-18 in their previous 39.

Texas will be making its sixth appearance in the last four years on ESPN’s signature college pre-game show. The Longhorns have been featured 22 times throughout the years. Texas is 11-11 in those games in Austin, Dallas for the Texas-Oklahoma game or a neutral site.

Related: Once NFL assistants together, Texas HC Steve Sarkisian and Michigan DC Wink Martindale match wits Saturday

Obviously, the best Texas appearance in “College GameDay” history was the 2005 BCS national championship game in Pasadena, Calif. Texas defeated USC to win the national title.

Other times, it’s been rocky. The Horns have actually lost the last three times “GameDay” came to Austin — LSU (2019), Alabama (2022) and TCU (2022). At least Texas got its revenge on Alabama the following year when ESPN set up camp in Tuscaloosa. The Horns won 34-24 over the Crimson Tide.

There’s no question that having “College GameDay” on your campus jacks up the overall atmosphere.

“The pageantry of college football I just love,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said on the SEC coaches’ conference call. “I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid, ever since when I played and when I got into coaching, and the opportunity to be part of games like this, I think, is uniquely special.

“I think back to even when I was a kid watching Michigan play and running out of the tunnel and tapping the Go Blue sign and their helmets and things,” he added. “And obviously you pair that with our brand, our helmets and our mascot and all those things, Bevo, and it just, I think that’s what makes college football so great, makes it so special.”