- Jackson State is the 79th school to host college football’s premier pregame show as GameDay travels to Jackson, Miss., for its fourth visit to an HBCU game
ESPN’s College GameDay Built by The Home Depot travels to Jackson, Miss., for the first time this weekend for Jackson State’s rivalry game against Southern. The visit is the show’s fourth to a game featuring Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – following North Carolina Central vs. Alcorn State in Atlanta (2021), Hampton at Florida A&M (2008) and Grambling vs. Southern in Houston (2005). The show will be live from outside Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium from 9 a.m. – noon ET (ESPN and ESPNU, ESPN App) on Saturday, Oct. 29.
The ‘BoomBox Classic’ rivalry game will be the 68th meeting between the two teams and will air live on ESPN3 and the ESPN App at 2 p.m. ET. The popular marching bands from both schools – Jackson State’s ‘Sonic Boom of the South’ and Southern’s ‘Human Jukebox’ the inspiration behind the game’s moniker – will be part of GameDay and their halftime performances will air live on the ESPN App during the 2 p.m. telecast.
Rece Davis leads the show in his eighth season as host and is joined at the desk by GameDay analysts Desmond Howard, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Pat McAfee and David Pollack. Reporters Jen Lada, Gene Wojciechowski and newcomer Jess Sims, along with research producer Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica and college football insider Pete Thamel, round out the GameDay crew for the season.
Scheduled Features & Highlights
- Home Sweet Haunted Home – Jim Mora thought taking the UConn football head coaching job was a scary proposition. Then he and his wife, Kathy, moved into their house near campus, a lovely eight-bedroom, three-story, two-ghost property. (Reporter: Gene Wojciechowski)
- Hall of Fame Foundation– A look back at one of the most memorable teams in the history of the Jackson State football program – the 1974 team that featured Hall of Famers Robert Brazile, Jackie Slater and the man they called Sweetness, Walter Payton. (Bill Rhoden)
- The Big Apple Inn – A look at the history of Jackson, Miss., through the lens of the diner that has been in business for over 100 years, a staple of the once booming Farish Street. (Wright Thompson)
- Prime’s Time – Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders gets wired up for a look inside the Tigers’ preparations ahead of the ‘BoomBox’ rivalry game against Southern.
- To The Max – TCU quarterback Max Duggan has the undefeated Horned Frogs riding high and he has quietly inserted himself into the Heisman conversation. But it may be Duggan’s fun, competitive nature at practice that has helped propel his team into college football’s spotlight.
- The Border Battle – A rivalry that dates back to 1912, Ohio State-Penn State games have had their share of magical moments. From White Out wins to heartbreaking losses, miracle plays to head-scratching decisions, the rivalry is full of moments and memories that are etched into college football lore.
Jackson’s State head coach Deion Sanders will join the GameDay crew live on set, while Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops will join live from Knoxville, Tenn., for this week’s ‘Live WIRED’ segment ahead of the No. 19 Wildcats’ matchup at No. 3 Tennessee. Jen Lada will report from Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa., ahead of the No. 2 Ohio State at No. 13 Penn State game with live interviews from the field.
Fast Facts from ‘The Bear’
- Jackson State is the 79th different school to host GameDay while Jackson, Miss., is the 98th different city to host the show
- Jackson State is the first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) campus to host GameDay; the show aired ahead of the Southern-Grambling neutral site game in 2005 in Houston
- Lee Corso has now correctly picked all seven games this season. Dating back to last year, Corso has won his last 11 headgear picks.
ESPN’s Expanded Digital Coverage
ESPN’s social and digital pre-pregame show, Countdown to GameDay Live, co-hosted by Christine Williamson, Harry Douglas and Harry Lyles Jr. will be live from Jackson State on Oct. 29, at 8:30 a.m. ET. The show is available across Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and the ESPN App.
Additional GameDay updates can be found via ESPN PR’s Twitter and College GameDay’s Twitter and details throughout the week can be found HERE and on College GameDay’s Hub HERE.
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