ESPN’s College GameDay officially came to Vanderbilt’s campus on Saturday, Oct. 25, as thousands of fans and students crowded around the set on Wyatt Lawn. The show lasted a full three hours, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. CDT, but many students stood in line all of Friday night to secure a premium spot in the pit and be entered into the Pat McAfee kicking challenge raffle — reserved only for the first 300 students in line.
Hundreds of Vanderbilt students brought out their warmest clothes and blankets in anticipation for the historic event on campus, waiting to see glimpses of the cast which includes sports personalities Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and more. By the time the sun had risen and the show began, thousands of fans had lined the pit and surrounding area to partake in the festivities.
Jessica Zdep, a senior at Vanderbilt, arrived at 3 a.m. to secure a good viewing spot for the show.
“It was kind of crazy; I’m surprised we didn’t sit at all,” Zdep said. “By the time I got there at 3 a.m., everyone was like sardines in line, but it was crazy. People were just so excited and wanted to get as close as possible.”
Having attended College GameDay at a different university, she also compared the show’s environment at the two schools.
“It was actually really exciting. I’ve been to College GameDay at a different school and honestly the energy was a lot better [here],” Zdep said. “I think a lot of schools get it a lot more frequently, and since we haven’t had it in such a long time, the energy was awesome, and it was a lot more special. It shows that [Vanderbilt] wants you to go and wants you to support the team.”
Senior Tim Sims lined up on Friday night to secure a spot in the pit.
“It was really a close second to our win over Alabama,” Sims said. “It was an amazing experience. Watching everyone come together to do that was really awesome.”
Sims also spoke about ESPN’s ability to keep the crowd engaged, despite the long hours that people had spent outside in the cold.
“Once we got inside the pit, there was no stopping us,” Sims said. “You blinked and it was 8:30 already and the show was rolling. [ESPN] knew how to keep the energy high. We were just having a great time, and they started passing out t-shirts, sweatshirts, gloves, water and helmets. To get a Home Depot hat was a check off the bucket list.”
The performances from Dierks Bentley and Kenny Chesney were also highlights for many, including Sims, that day.
“It was cool to see Dierks Bentley back on campus,” Sims said. “I’m hoping he may do a concert here soon.”
Junior Adam Burns, founder and president of the Sports Business & Analytics Club and former Hustler Lead Sports Analyst, also viewed the experience as once in a lifetime, despite the long night of standing on Wyatt Lawn.
“Camping out for [College] Gameday was quite the experience,” Burns said. “From 5:30 p.m. on Friday until 2 a.m. on Saturday, it was a blast. Then, we were inexplicably told to stand up, which resulted in three-and-a-half miserable hours of jockeying for position in a massive crowd. I never want to camp out again, but I am glad I did it once for the experience.”
Sophomore Juliana Orman also noted the experience was memorable as she watched the show growing up.
“I just had a great time. It was so much fun,” Orman said. “I [watched] College GameDay growing up and so my family was very excited about it, which I think made me even more excited about it. The adrenaline of waking up early was so much fun and then actually watching the game was a really fun experience. People are getting way more into football here.”
Junior Luke Faulkner also thought it was an incredible experience to see something he’s watched on TV so many times come to Vanderbilt.
“It was surreal,” Faulkner said. “I’ve always watched College GameDay growing up on TV, but I’ve never been. To see it come to [Vanderbilt] was super cool. Obviously, this university has gone through a lot with sports in the past, not exactly the best in that regard, but to see the program turn around — especially with [what] coach [Clark] Lea and coach [Jerry] Kill have been able to do — is really special and it was an awesome experience on Saturday.”
Senior Dirk Brinkerhoff felt like the event was very historic but also mismanaged at times.
“It depended on what time you got there; I got there at like 3:30 a.m., so I was right in the middle of the huge crowd push for everyone getting to the front, but that was really dangerous,” Brinkerhoff said. “If you really wanted to be at the front, you would had to have gotten out there at like 6 p.m. on Friday.”
Following some unclear guidance from ESPN and university officials, there was some disorganization regarding line management on Saturday morning.
“The show was really cool, but it felt like a free for all and not totally worth it. But everybody had different experiences,” Brinkerhoff said.
Senior Claudia Purdon agreed that the process to line up was confusing at times, but she did not regret the decision to stay on Wyatt Lawn all night.
“Camping out for college gameday was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and something I am so happy to have done with my closest friends,” Purdon said. “I think Vanderbilt could have handled some aspects of line management better, but overall, the experience was truly bonding for me and all those around me.”
Vanderbilt took down then-No. 15 Missouri later that day, 17-10, as the Commodores improved to 7-1 on the season. While College GameDay was a tiring event for many, students still showed up in full force for the 2:30 p.m. CDT kickoff.
“We did not dominate [but] it was an exciting atmosphere,” Sims said of the game. “We were in the fight for the entire game and that’s what it’s all about. No other quarterback in college football, let alone the SEC, can get beat up the way Diego Pavia does and stand right back up and complete the mission.”
Orman even showed up early to secure a seat at one of the most anticipated games of the season.
“The game was so much fun,” Orman said. “I got there an hour early to get good seats and it’s just so fun to be with your friends and cheering on the team.”
Vanderbilt Football takes on No. 20 Texas next in Austin on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 11 a.m. CDT.
