BOISE, Idaho — ESPN’s College GameDay is returning to Boise State for the first time in 16 years, and Idaho is making the occasion official.
The show will broadcast live from DeChevrieux Field, just west of Albertsons Stadium, from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. Live television segments are expected to begin around 5:30 a.m.
WATCH | Boise State icon Ian Johnson talks returning to the spotlight for College GameDay
It marks College GameDay’s first trip to Boise since 2010. Coincidentally, Oregon State was also the opponent during the show’s first visit to Boise State.
Former Boise State running back Ian Johnson will serve as College GameDay’s celebrity guest picker. Johnson became a college football icon after scoring the game-winning two-point conversion on Boise State’s Statue of Liberty play in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma, then proposing to his girlfriend on the field.
The GameDay appearance brings Johnson back into the national spotlight nearly two decades after that Fiesta Bowl moment.
Fans hoping to see him and the rest of the College GameDay crew in person will need an early alarm.
Gates at DeChevrieux Field open at 4:30 a.m. Saturday. Admission is free, and no ticket or advance registration is required. General admission entrances will be available around the field, with standard stadium screening in place.
The first 50 fans in line will receive College GameDay prize packs. Fans hoping to enter “The Pit” near the stage will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.
There are also restrictions on what fans can bring. Camping is not allowed on Boise State property, and tents, sleeping bags and other camping equipment are prohibited. Signs will be inspected before entry, and vulgar, political or religious signs are not allowed. Signs displaying .com, .net or .org addresses are also prohibited.
Fans 18 and older can also enter for a chance to participate in Pat McAfee’s field-goal kicking contest. A maximum of 300 raffle tickets will be distributed in the GameDay Pit, and participants must have a physical ID. Current and former collegiate athletes are not eligible.
After College GameDay wraps up, attention will shift to the Blue. Boise State and Oregon State kick off at 4 p.m. at Albertsons Stadium. A Broncos win would clinch Boise State a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Gov. Brad Little proclaimed Nov. 13 through Nov. 15 as “College GameDay Weekend” in Idaho ahead of the nationally televised show and Boise State’s matchup against Oregon State.
The governor said the return gives Boise State and Idaho an opportunity to show off the state to millions of viewers across the country.
“College GameDay coming back to Boise is a big deal for Idaho,” Little said in a statement. “It puts our state, Boise State University, and that iconic blue turf in front of millions of people across the country.”
For Little, the weekend is about more than a football game.
“Idahoans are proud of our Broncos, proud of our state, and proud to show the rest of the country what makes Idaho special,” he said.
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