Norman, Oklahoma, was destined to host ESPN College GameDay a second time in 2025, even if it meant the Sooners earning an extra home game to do it.
The No. 8 Sooners will host No. 9 Alabama on Friday, Dec. 19, at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for a first-round game in the College Football Playoff. The rematch between the two college football icons immediately earned the Friday primetime slot on ABC as the only primetime first-round game ESPN networks got, but now, the historical matchup also lured ESPN's premiere show back to campus.
ESPN College GameDay headed to Norman for College Football Playoff
ESPN announced on Wednesday that College GameDay will be in Norman on that Friday for the first of two shows during the weekend. The show will be in College Station the next day before No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami kick off at 11 a.m. CT on ABC.
Two days. Two shows.
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 10, 2025
Next week, we're heading to Norman on Friday and College Station on Saturday for the first round of the College Football Playoff! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/eipZaAB2Ge
As usual, College GameDay will set up on the South Oval. However, unlike past stops in Norman, the Sooners' unique Friday night game created a different schedule for the show. College GameDay's broadcast will start at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN instead of bright and early in the morning. The cast will then move to inside of Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m. CT to finish the show and make predictions on Owen Field just before kickoff.
College GameDay already made one trip to Norman earlier this season when the Sooners beat Michigan Week 2 in another primetime game between blue bloods. Because of OU's loaded schedule, it looked like the campus would surely host the show again during the regular season, but things never lined up.
However, College GameDay couldn't avoid this historical matchup as the Sooners' host their first home playoff game. The show was also in Norman for OU's SEC debut against Tennessee last season.