Why 'College GameDay' snubbed the SEC

It would’ve been easy for College GameDay not to return to the West Coast for a second week.

After taking on Cal Berkeley and the Calgorithim in Week 6, it would’ve been understandable if ESPN picked the conference it has a relationship with and the game that Kirk Herbstreit will be calling alongside Chris Fowler — Oklahoma vs. Texas in Dallas.

Let’s not downplay the significance of the Red River Rivalry. It’s a massive event in the historical context of college football — ask Sam Acho . And Saturday’s showdown in Dallas also marks the first time Texas and Oklahoma will go head-to-head on the SEC stage, making it a pivotal moment in the context of conference realignment (and expansion).

And not for nothing, a first for ESPN — and the SEC on ABC.

While GameDay could have soaked up the vibrant atmosphere in Dallas and been part of yet another historic occasion, it decided to set up shop in Eugene, Oregon. ESPN wouldn’t exactly have done much to quiet the narratives of ‘SEC Bias’ with a Texas-Oklahoma matchup, but it also would’ve been understandable given the history.

It’s not like Oregon-Ohio State ( on NBC Saturday night ) comes with the usual ESPN TV perks, but the network said the hell with that. This week, ESPN is prioritizing relevance over corporate synergy. There’s a growing acknowledgment that college football is bigger than brands and traditional rivalries; there’s still a need to tell stories about the atmospheres and passion that make the sport so compelling.

This decision didn’t come without its quirks, particularly for Herbstreit. With a 3:30 p.m. ET (2:20 p.m. local) kickoff in Dallas, he had to leave GameDay not even two hours into the campaign. He welcomed Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning to the fold before taking off himself.

While ESPN experimented with some new technology, allowing Herbstreit to still participate from a convertible and his private jet, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. While Pat McAfee praised the audio quality, he joked that Herbstreit’s picture looked like finger painting.

Logistically speaking, it’s not exactly a decision that has benefited all parties involved, but it just goes to show the lengths to which ESPN is willing to cover exciting matchups, even if it means sacrificing some on-site presence.

According to Rece Davis, Herbstreit is the ‘Mayor of College Football,’ after all.

Speaking of Davis, two years ago, he pointed out that the lack of a TV deal wouldn’t make them shy away from the Big Ten in the future, even if there was some initial skepticism.

By contrast, Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff skipped the Oregon game entirely for the Big 12 clash of BYU-Arizona, which they’re televising Saturday afternoon.

ESPN is making a bold statement this week, saying it wants to highlight what’s happening in the sport right now, not just what’s been done in the past. Just a few weeks back, they went to Michigan-Texas, so it’s not like they are willing to venture outside the SEC comfort zone.

It should be noted that perhaps the main reason ESPN didn’t go to Dallas is because it’ll be in Austin for Texas-Georgia next week. But the point still stands.

College GameDay is reaffirming its preference for relevance over corporate synergy by spotlighting Oregon-Ohio State instead of the Texas-Oklahoma showdown. With that, ESPN is sending a clear message: it values the current excitement and passion surrounding college football above the historical narratives and branding strategies that have long dictated its programming.

The post ‘College GameDay’ showed its preference between relevance vs. corporate synergy this week appeared first on Awful Announcing .