College GameDay Moving To Coleman Coliseum, Guest Picker Revealed

TUSCALOOSA, AL — ESPN's College Gameday will return to Tuscaloosa on Saturday for No. 6 Alabama's showdown with No. 2 Georgia, with the popular pregame show moving inside Coleman Coliseum because of the threat of severe weather.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

The three-hour show will air from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT on ESPN, ESPNU, Disney+ and the ESPN App ahead of the Crimson Tide's 6:30 p.m. kickoff against Georgia on ABC.

Former Alabama quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young will serve as the celebrity guest picker, joining his former head coach Nick Saban on the set.

Saturday will mark Alabama's 22nd time hosting College GameDay and its 65th overall appearance on the program. It will also be Georgia's 43rd appearance.

The Alabama-Georgia matchup will be featured on the show for the 13th time, tying Alabama-LSU and Ohio State-Penn State as the most frequently featured matchups in the show's history.

Fans and students can begin lining up outside Coleman Coliseum at 5:15 a.m. CT, with doors opening at 5:30 a.m.

Camping outside the arena will not be permitted, and fans must enter through the east or north entrances.

ESPN said its planned scavenger hunt and First-in-Line prize giveaway have been canceled because of the weather threat.

Pat McAfee's "Kicking is Easy" field-goal contest will still be held, with raffle tickets distributed at both entrances.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is scheduled to join the show live, while ESPN analyst Desmond Howard will present a feature on Crimson Tide sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell.

The broadcast will also highlight ESPN's new six-part Saban documentary, including a look back at Alabama's comeback win over Georgia in the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

ALSO READ: Six-Part Nick Saban Docuseries Premieres Thursday: How To Watch

The trip to Tuscaloosa comes amid record ratings for College GameDay. ESPN said last week's show from Iowa City averaged 2.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched October episode in the program's history and the third-most-watched regular-season episode overall.

As of the publication of this story, kickoff for Alabama-Georgia is still set for 6:30 p.m. CT.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com