ESPN College GameDay 2025 Week 1 Schedule, Location, Predictions and More

ESPN College GameDay returns for Week 1 of the 2025 college football season Saturday, with a blockbuster of a game between the top-ranked Texas Longhorns and the defending national champions, the third-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.

The season debut of the premier pre-game show in the sport will also serve as the final bow for one of the greatest, most entertaining, engaging, and beloved personalities on television, former coach-turned-analyst Lee Corso.

When and where can fans check out the pregame festivities for all of Week 1's top games and say goodbye to the endearing Corso? Find out in this preview of Saturday's show.

Viewing Information

Date: Saturday, August 30

Time: 9:00 a.m. EST

TV: ESPN, ESPN U

Streaming: ESPN app

Location: St. John Arena in College Station in Columbus, Ohio

Crew: Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, "Stanford Steve" Couglin, Pete Thamel, Jen Lada, and Jess Sims

Preview and Prediction

The 2024 season ended with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day finally leading his school to a College Football Playoff National Championship with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.

Day and the Buckeyes enter the 2025 campaign as defending champions, with big questions at a key position as Julian Sayin takes over for Will Howard, now of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The five-star recruit and transfer from Alabama saw limited play in his freshman year, throwing 12 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Running back James Peoples is, like Sayin, an unproven skill player with limited snaps in live game action. Last season, he carried 49 times for 197 times and two touchdowns.

The spotlight will burn bright, and expectations will be high, especially with a Heisman candidate in wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, who may be the best player in the nation.

Across the field from the defending champs is a University of Texas team led by quarterback Arch Manning, whom many expect to join Smith in the Heisman conversation and, potentially, be a No. 1 overall pick in next May's NFL Draft should he choose to leave for the pros.

An athletic, dual-threat quarterback, he found the endzone 13 times last season and finished the year with a passer rating of 184.0. Despite the pedigree and lofty expectations, it is just Manning's third start.

Texas will look to avenge a loss in last year's College Football Playoff and arrives at the hotly anticipated matchup with a strong defense, a potentially potent offense, and fewer questions at key positions.

Still, there is something about a team coming off a victory in the most prestigious game in the sport, opening up their season at home, in a big game and in front of a raucous crowd that negates the perceived deficits. Even if it is just for one game.

Day will have his team ready to play, prepared to prove to the world why the Buckeyes sat atop the college football world this past January. Ohio State, against the odds, eeks out a win to kick off the season and forces the Longhorns to mount a comeback if they want to achieve their title aspirations.

Prediction: Ohio State upsets Texas