ESPN’s “College GameDay” announced where it will be for Week 12 of the 2024 college football season.
For the second straight week and the seventh time this season, the “GameDay” crew is heading to an SEC venue. Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and, yes, Nick Saban, will be at Sanford Stadium in Athens for the Georgia Bulldogs’ showdown with the Tennessee Volunteers.
According to ESPN, it will be the 10th time Athens will host “College GameDay.” Kickoff for Tennessee-Georgia is set for a prime time 6:30 p.m. CT start. The game will be televised on ABC.
Tennessee (8-1) is ranked No. 4 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll after beating Mississippi State 33-14 in Week 11. The Vols are No. 7 in the updated College Football Playoff selection committee’s rankings that were released Tuesday.
Georgia (7-2) is No. 10 in the Coaches Poll and slid all the way from No. 2 to No. 12 in the committee’s rankings after its 28-10 loss to the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford.
RELATED: New College Football Playoff bracket looks radically different after updated CFP rankings
For Saban, it will mark his first visit to Sanford Stadium since Alabama’s 38-10 rout of the Bulldogs on Oct. 3, 2015. Derrick Henry rushed for 148 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown run, in that game as part of his Heisman Trophy winning senior season.
The Crimson Tide’s defense forced four turnovers, including a 50-yard Eddie Jackson pick six to start the second half and extend Alabama’s lead to 31-3 in that game. Minkah Fitzpatrick scored a touchdown on special teams by blocking a punt and scooping it at the Georgia 1-yard line for an easy score.
Georgia had been favored to win, one of the few times during Saban’s dynasty at Alabama in which the Crimson Tide were listed as underdogs by oddsmakers.
Who does Alabama football play in Week 12?
Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide (7-2) will host the Mercer Bears (9-1) in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide are ranked No. 9 in this week’s polls and No. 10 in the playoff committee rankings after their 42-13 win over the LSU Tigers, Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. The game can be seen on SEC Network+.
Mercer (9-1 overall) is atop the Southern Conference standings and is ranked No. 9 in this week’s AFCA NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Football Rankings. The Bears defeated VMI, 34-0, last Saturday.