It is always a big deal whenever your team and city gets mentioned in the national spotlight for one of the biggest games in college football that everyone is talking about.
ESPN College Gameday got started in 1993 and has been at some of the best games in history. Along the way, the iconic Lee Corso has been the headliner of the show by putting on the headgear for his pick in the game of the day. The tradition started at Penn State’s expense when Corso donned the mascot head of Brutus, Ohio State’s mascot, when GameDay attended the 1996 matchup between Ohio State and Penn State in Columbus, Ohio. From there, a tradition was born.
Penn State games against Ohio State have been a bit of a staple for GameDay. The matchup between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes is tied for the most GameDay spotlights with 11 total. The only other matchup with that many GameDay appearances is Alabama vs LSU.
Here’s a look back at how Penn State has performed anytime GameDay has set up its on-location studio on the scene, whether in Happy Valley or elsewhere in the country.