Kirk Herbstreit got real on social media explaining why Kentucky isn’t hosting College GameDay in Week 3: the Wildcats blew their chance by being on the wrong end of a 31-6 blowout against South Carolina at Kroger Field.
“Because Kentucky spit the bit last week,” Herbstreit said on Twitter when asked by a fan why Lexington, Kentucky with No. 1 Georgia in town. “CGD was a lock for UK if Cats won last week and we would have called the game as well. But South Carolina dominating that game we always adjust to the results from the previous week.”
ESPN prioritizing teams that are winning when choosing where to visit incentivizes every school in the country. With College GameDay comes an economic boost to the local economy. Every game means more when that is on the line.
Of course, not every matchup on the schedule is GameDay-worthy. This was probably Kentucky’s only chance to have ESPN in town for the all-day broadcast. Ohio, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Murray State aren’t GameDay-caliber in 2024. Louisville would be if the Cardinals won enough to be a College Football Playoff contender and the Wildcats turned it around. But even then, November 30 is a competitive day. It’s Rivalry Week, after all.
Not only did South Carolina rock Kentucky in the Bluegrass State, but the Gamecocks stole College GameDay. For all we know, Week 2 might’ve been the Wildcats’ Super Bowl.
And in that case, Kentucky was the 2013 Denver Broncos; bludgeoned under the brightest lights.