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ESPN College GameDay heading to Happy Valley for Penn State-Oregon

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh9 hours agogriffin_mcveigh
James Franklin, Penn State
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In a Week 5 slate full of a handful of enticing matchups, ESPN College GameDay had a tough decision to make. Well, the choice was made and announced on Saturday afternoon. Rece Davis and the entire crew will be in Happy Valley on Sept. 27, showcasing the massive showdown between the Penn State Nittany Lions and Oregon Ducks.

One other game, in particular, likely got heavy consideration from ESPN. The Alabama Crimson Tide head to Athens for the first time since 2015, facing off against Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs. ABC/ESPN will broadcast that game but ultimately, the Big Ten wins out this go-round.

This will be the second consecutive season Penn State hosts ESPN College GameDay. Last year’s Ohio State game got the crew in town, turning out to be a classic. In a similar fashion, the Worldwide Leader was not the network calling the game.

Overall, this will be the show’s 11th time visiting Happy Valley. Results are split right down the middle for the home team, with Penn State winning and losing five times each. Getting back over .500 would be a massive victory for the Nittany Lions, looking to do so against a talented Oregon team.

More on showdown between the Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State will be well-rested heading into this one. A Week 4 game did not pop up on the schedule, meaning James Franklin is watching from home. To this point, the Nittany Lions have not played a power conference foe. All three wins come against lesser opponents, taking care of business in spots they were expected to.

Results are similar when it comes to Oregon. However, the level of competition is just a little bit higher. A struggling Oklahoma State came to Autzen Stadium before hosting another edition of the Civil War vs. Oregon State. Dan Lanning even led his team into a Big Ten road game on Sept. 13, beating Northwestern.

Everything from before can be thrown out the window, though. To this point, no game in the Big Ten has bigger implications. We saw Oregon and Penn State face off in Indianapolis last season, something both programs are attempting to achieve again.

Franklin is looking to kill a few narratives against his name when it comes to highly-ranked opponents. Oregon is looking to keep its regular season winning streak alive, currently sitting at 22 games.