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College GameDay (and the Jonas Brothers) will be headed to Harrisonburg this weekend for a SunBelt matchup between James Madison and Appalachian State. The game will feature an undefeated Dukes squad looking to complete a perfect season.
The Mountaineers enter at 6-4 but always prove tough. While history could be on the line for JMU, a number of college football viewers are upset with the selection.
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That’s because there’s another conference showdown featuring an undefeated team on Saturday.
While JMU has been maybe the most exciting athletic program in sports this year, and App State provides viewers with a major Group of Five brand, the matchup of unranked opponents doesn’t match the other obvious choice on the slate.
The fifth-ranked Washington Huskies will travel to Corvallis this weekend to face No. 12 Oregon State. Led by quarterback Michael Penix, the Huskies are eyeing not only a PAC 12 championship, but a College Football Playoff appearance, too.
At 10-0, Washington is in the driver’s seat. They’ve already taken down Oregon, Utah, and USC, and this will represent the team’s third straight game against a ranked foe.
A win would book the Huskies’ ticket to the conference title, where they’d likely see a rematch with the Ducks, but don’t look past the Beavers.
The Oregon State offense, led by former Clemson signal caller DJ Uiagalelei, features the league’s third-best run game. The defense is stout, too, ranking in the top half of the PAC 12 in both yards allowed and scoring. They could certainly pose a problem for the Huskies.
The game features both star power and national championship implications. For that reason, many were sad to see the Sun Belt get the nod for College GameDay.
“Wait what??? You have Oregon State vs. UW next week and you choose James Madison?! Who makes these decisions???”
“This over Oregon State vs. the Huskies? Two unranked teams that decide nothing in terms of the playoffs?”
“Wow, Oregon State just got robbed.”
“There’s no way I am seeing this right. Absolutely disrespectful for ESPN to not come for Oregon State vs. Washington.”
“Common College GameDay L.”
What makes it more surprising is the fact that the game will be aired in primetime on ABC, a sister broadcast network of ESPN. The pregame show hasn’t been to Corvallis in more than a decade, making its only appearance on the Oregon State campus in 2010.
Clearly, the decision struck a nerve with college football fans.