College GameDay announces Week 3 location

On3 imageby:Pete Nakos09/11/21

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College GameDay has announced where it will set up shop next Saturday. The ESPN pregame college football show is headed to Happy Valley for the Week 3 showdown between No. 11 Penn State and No. 25 Auburn.

The trip to State College is the show’s first since 2019. The two programs met twice before, and with an SEC opponent traveling to Penn State for the first time since 2011, the Nittany Lions’ annual white-out game is scheduled for Saturday night.

The huge nonconference matchup comes after GameDay headed to Ames, Iowa, this week for Iowa vs. Iowa State. The Hawkeyes secured the Cy-Hawk Trophy with a 27-17 win.

Penn State picked up a 44-13 win on Saturday over Ball State, while Auburn routed Alabama State 62-0. Both teams enter the Week Three matchup with a perfect 2-0 record and with the opportunity to enter their name into the College Football Playoff picture.

Previewing Penn State vs. Auburn

Penn State picked up a huge Week 1 win, knocking off Wisconsin in Madison. With a new offensive coordinator in Mike Yurcich, the Nittany Lions have completely revamped their offense. Yurcich has spent time at Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Texas and has brought a fast-paced, pass-first offense to Penn State.

Auburn has a new look this season, too. The Tigers hired Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin after firing Gus Malzahn after eight seasons. Harsin has brought a new offensive identity to Auburn focused on the run. In the opening two games of the season, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 122-10.

Freshman running back Jarquez Hunter received the game ball for his performance against Alabama State as he stepped up with Shaun Shivers sidelined. Hunter led the team in rushing with eight carries for 147 yards and a touchdown, including a 94-yard touchdown run, the longest rush in Auburn’s program history, breaking a 92-yard record set in 1936.

“Everyone wants to hit that fast forward to Saturday at Penn State,” Harsin said in his postgame press conference Saturday, emphasizing that Auburn has to stay focused on the preparation leading up to the game itself.

Both teams have turned their attention to next week. With Ohio State’s loss to Oregon, Penn State has a legitimate chance to emerge as one of the top teams in the Big Ten. And for Auburn, picking up a road win against a ranked opponent would be a major kickstart to Harsin era.

Beaver Stadium will be rocking and College GameDay will be in town.