Predicting the Sites for ESPN's 'College GameDay' for 2016

ESPN's Saturday morning college football pregame show, College GameDay, has become an institution over the past two decades—a must-watch program that gets you hyped for the day's action. The college basketball version might never achieve that same level of buzz, but having the right game sites can help increase interest.

For the second season in a row, ESPN is waiting until the week before to pick where it will be sending College GameDay for each Saturday. Similar to with football, this helps ensure one of the most intriguing games of that weekend will serve as the backdrop.

The first College GameDay site was announced earlier this month, with ESPN headed to East Lansing, Michigan, for the Big Ten matchup between Michigan State and Maryland.

Where else should GameDay go this winter? Follow along as we predict the locale for the six remaining regular-season Saturdays.

Jan. 30: Lawrence, Kansas

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Game: Kentucky at Kansas

Two of college basketball's most storied programs, meeting in a rare late-season nonconference game on a home court? Kentucky and Kansas could both have losing records, and it would be hard to pass up such a chance to showcase these teams.

Kansas has hosted College GameDay six times before, but all of those were against Big 12 opponents. This will be the marquee game in the third version of the Big 12/SEC Challenge, which this season was moved to January to draw more attention.

The lineup features several great games, including Iowa State at Texas A&M and Oklahoma at LSU, but teams like Kansas and Kentucky don't ever meet unless its at a neutral court or during the NCAA tournament (or both).

Feb. 6: Morgantown, West Virginia

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Game: Baylor at West Virginia

West Virginia is at somewhat of a competitive disadvantage in the Big 12 by being hundreds of miles from the rest of the teams in the conference. This makes each road trip a rough one, but at the same time when teams come to Morgantown they're in for a similar struggle.

Just ask top-ranked Kansas, which lost 74-63 at the Mountaineers, and its “Press Virginia” style of defense. It's hell to play against, but fun to watch, and a raucous crowd at WVU Coliseum only enhances the atmosphere.

West Virginia has only hosted GameDay once before, in 2009 against Louisville when both teams were in the Big East.

Feb. 13: Durham, North Carolina

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Game: Virginia at Duke

Virginia has won the last two ACC regular-season titles, losing only four conference games in those two seasons. Two of those defeats were to Duke, including last January at home with GameDay in attendance.

The Cavaliers have already lost twice in league play this season, meaning they have little room for error if they want to three-peat as ACC champs. Not exactly the best scenario for heading into one of the country's toughest places to play, let alone the conference.

Duke has won 105 of 109 games at Cameron Indoor Stadium since 2010, and in Mike Krzyzewski's tenure, the Blue Devils have won 89.1 of their home games. However, three times since 2006 they've lost at home when GameDay has been watching.

Feb. 20: College Station, Texas

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Game: Kentucky at Texas A&M

One of the several places where Kentucky nearly fell during last season was in College Station, where a plucky Texas A&M team took the Wildcats to double overtime before falling. This year's Aggies team is even more dangerous, and right now it's the only SEC team without a loss.

Kentucky has looked quite vulnerable this season, having lost to UCLA, Ohio State and LSU already, but it's still the team to beat in the conference.

A&M has only made one appearance in a College GameDay matchup—that coming in 2007 at Kansas when it was still in the Big 12. Kentucky is a seasoned vet of the show's signature games, and this would be its ninth time involved in the show.

Feb. 27: Salt Lake City, Utah

Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images

Game: Arizona at Utah

College GameDay tries to make at least one trip out West each season, and with the Pac-12 looking like the country's deepest conference, there's no shortage of options for games to focus on.

It makes sense to have Arizona involved as the reigning two-time regular-season champion, but the Wildcats have already visited the Los Angeles schools and will play at rising California the same weekend that GameDay is already scheduled to go to East Lansing, Michigan, on Jan. 23.

Utah will be Arizona's final road opponent this year, and with the Wildcats having won 47 straight home games, this could be the last chance for someone in the Pac-12 to take them down.

March 5: Bloomington, Indiana

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Game: Maryland at Indiana

Indiana has managed to get off to a fast start in Big Ten play, winning its first four games to sit atop the standings so far. The Hoosiers have yet to face their toughest conference opponents, though, as five of their final seven games are against currently ranked teams.

That includes Maryland, who might have lost Tuesday at Michigan but still figures to be in the hunt for the Big Ten title on the final Saturday of the regular season. That will make for a perfect backdrop for GameDay's last stop, especially if a piece of a title is on the line.

Indiana's Assembly Hall is one of the most iconic arenas in college basketball, having hosted GameDay twice before but not since February 2013.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.