Milk Maid
While watching the Minnesota Vikings game on Sunday, one of my brothers texted me that ESPN’s “College GameDay” is heading to my Alma mater, South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD this Saturday.
College GameDay is the premier college football pre-game show that airs Saturday mornings on ESPN from 8 until 11 a.m. My brothers watch it regularly on Saturday mornings so I’m familiar with the show.
The show is always filmed at a different university and the crowd is filled with students and fans. It’s well known for all the creative signs that people in the crowds make for the show. South Dakota State is the 73rd different school to host GameDay and Brookings will be the 87th different city to host the show.
I was shocked because SDSU rarely gets national attention and is usually mixed up with San Diego State University, also known as SDSU. My phone soon blew up with the news.
Sure enough, officials from ESPN announced Sunday that Brookings and South Dakota State University will host College GameDay this coming Saturday in conjunction with the Dakota Marker football game. College GameDay host Rece Davis made the announcement with a video on Twitter Sunday afternoon.
“While we love going to places we’ve returned to again and again, I don’t know that anything quite gives me the same type of adrenaline rush quite like going to a new place, and this week College GameDay is going to the Dakota Marker game between South Dakota State and the Bison, seven-time national champions, of North Dakota State,” Davis said.
“This is a huge rivalry game and we can’t wait to experience it with you. So Brookings, get ready. We’re coming to your city.” The Dakota Marker football game is the annual game that is held between the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and the Bison of North Dakota State University of Fargo, ND. The winner of the game holds onto the Dakota Marker trophy for the next year.
This is a huge rivalry! It’s often deemed “who’s the better Dakota?” game too. So a lot of pride is at stake. To “up the ante” of the game, both NDSU and SDSU are top teams in the FCS with NDSU currently ranked No. 1 and SDSU ranked No. 3. Their only loss was a narrow loss in a terrific game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first game of the year. On Tuesday, SDSU announced where College GameDay and the activities will be held. The production will originate from College Green, which is located north and east of SDSU’s landmark the Coughlin Campanile in the southwest quadrant of campus.
In addition to College GameDay, Friday’s episode of College Football Live will be broadcast from the Campus Green location. ESPN will also have activations, lawn games and giveaways at College Green, with fans encouraged to visit the area throughout the day.
No admission will be charged for any College GameDay activities. One of my brothers is planning on attending the festivities and I told him he needs to make a winning sign to make it on T.V. I will definitely be recording this show on Saturday.
This is such an amazing opportunity for South Dakota State University and for Brookings to showcase all it has to offer on the national stage. Let’s go Jackrabbits!