Minnesota Football: College GameDay returning to Minneapolis for Gophers’ season opener

College GameDay is making a return trip to Minneapolis for the No. 24-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers’ primetime matchup against the No. 19-ranked Michigan Wolverines in the season opener on Saturday Oct. 24. This means the University of Minnesota will be hosting College GameDay in back-to-back home games dating back to last season, when GameDay visited campus for the first time ever for the Gophers’ regular season finale against Wisconsin.

College GameDay will have a decidedly different feel from last season, when the stage was set up in Northrop Mall and swarmed by a sea of snow-covered fans bundled up in maroon and gold, braving the cold. For starters, don’t expect to see any fans in the backdrop. The usual on-air crew — with the exception of Lee Corso, who is working remotely from his home in Florida — will be operating behind a desk that has been elongated for social distancing.

Guest pickers have remained a part of the show this season, with the likes of actor Bill Murray and retired baseball player Alex Rodriguez dropping in remotely to make their picks in previous weeks. Former Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker was the guest picker last year for College GameDay’s visit to Minneapolis. It’s anyone’s guess who will get the call this year.