Hosts of ESPN's college GameDay prepare to go live from Bozeman

ESPN College GameDay analyst David Pollack can’t remember having ever been escorted into a college town by eighteen horses, that is, until the GameDay Bus arrived at MSU campus Thursday afternoon.

The wildly popular ESPN College GameDay show has landed in Bozeman for the first time in its 36 season history, and Bobcat nation has been very clear in voicing its excitement. ESPN’s presence on campus has created quite the buzz, and things are sure to take a turn for the downright rowdy when the festivities kick off early Saturday morning.

The anticipation and passion seems to be quite mutual, as expressed by the GameDay host Rece Davis as well as show analysts Desmond Howard and David Pollack, who spoke to members of the media Friday morning. “We’re obviously excited about being here. It really energizes us to go to a new location, you know, a place that not only people aren’t really familiar with, but a place that we think deserves a lot of attention and credit, where we can give a three-hour infomercial about not just the football program, but the community,” Howard said. “We feel this is something Montana State has earned, and we’re very very excited to be here. And, you know, we love good football. And they play pretty good football up here.”

A multi-year social media campaign mounted by fans, school officials, celebrities and even elected officials encouraging the show to travel here impressed David Pollack.

“It’s been crazy, how much we get hit up with it, and honestly, I think that’s a big reason why we’re here. When you know that somebody’s that passionate, you know they’re gonna show out,” he said. “Cause, listen, we go all over the country and we look for scenes. We want good games, sure, but we also are looking for scenes that are different, unique, and I think some of my favorite shows I’ve done over the years are not the ones people would think.” The aforementioned Rodeo escort is an example of the Montana scene that Pollack described, beaming as he recounted how his experience with the Montana atmosphere has been. “It’s the coolest thing, because you like the novelty of it. You go to all these places, it’s like the same old, same old, but when you have something like that that’s new, that’s fresh, you love it. We get excited by it. It shows our audience a different part of the culture of this program,” Pollack said.

Saturday’s frigid anticipated temperatures were, ironically, one of the hot topics of conversation. One member of the production crew mentioned that set construction had been delayed due to several pieces being frozen together.

Each member of the GameDay team had a different take on the prospect of dealing with the cold weather. “Oh dude, I’m ready,” said Pollack. “I was like, alright, I need one of my fat kid suits, cause I used to be a fat kid, or, a fatter kid. And then I’m wearing everything I own underneath my suit.”

When Desmond Harold was asked about how he felt about the weather, he responded with, “Well, I live in Miami. I think that pretty much answers that question.”

Rece Davis was asked whether or not he would be wearing a beanie. He jokingly said, “I just want you to have a look at this coiffure and tell me if you’d put a beanie on it.”

The energy is always high when it comes to the Brawl of the Wild, but with the national coverage that the annual contest is now receiving, a whole new level of meaning has been brought to this year’s edition of the game. Even in spite of this, the intensity that lies at the heart of the rivalry, however, is being lost on no one.

“We get a chance to highlight an FCS rivalry, that, you know, when they talk about it, it’s on par with Michigan vs. Ohio State. It’s good, it’s big, and that’s why we’re here,” Howard said, “To be honest, it gives me goosebumps. It takes me back to my playing days, playing in the Michigan-Ohio State game.”

Pollack also drew comparisons to the Ohio State-Michigan game, saying, “It’s kinda cool to research a bit and know this is the 121st meeting. Next week, there’s a good chance we’ll be at Ohio State-Michigan, which is ‘The Game’, and they haven’t played as many times as Montana and Montana State. That’s pretty dang cool.”

Of course, the show will highlight the football on display, but the GameDay crew made it clear that there’s a lot more to it than that. The idea of a “three-hour infomercial” for the university and the town was a recurring theme, and therein lies the point of the College GameDay show. If it was just about College Football, why not just shoot on a soundstage? GameDay is so much more. It’s about the students, the fans, and the ultimately ineffable experience that comes along with it all. “When people get excited for our show, all of us are fully aware that we’re not the Rolling Stones or Taylor Swift. We know they’re not coming just to see us perform, but they’re coming to showcase the pride they have in their program,” Rece Davis said.