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Understanding The College GameDay Analysts

We’re senselessly excited for this weekend’s White Out game and the many activites leading up to it, including ESPN’s first College GameDay trip to Happy Valley since 2009.

For those planning to attend the live broadcast of the show Saturday morning on Old Main Lawn, we’ve already put together everything you need to know about logistics. But what about the actual show?

If you’re totally unfamiliar with what College GameDay is all about, here’s what you should know about each of the analysts:

Lee Corso

Lee Corso is a former Indiana football coach who has been with College GameDay since its inception in 1987. ESPN recently aired a history of Corso’s famous picking style, which always involves wearing the headgear of the team he picks to win — either to the delight or chagrin of the fans. In any case, Corso has become an integral part of Saturday for college football fans, and we’re hoping he puts on the Nittany Lion headgear this weekend.

Kirk Herbstreit

Kirk Herbstreit is a former Ohio State quarterback, but don’t let that fool you. Other than erroneously saying that half of the student section left at halftime of last year’s thrilling victory over Ohio State, Kirk Herbstreit really has been a strong voice in the corner of Penn State.

He recently said he hopes his kids grow up to be like Penn State football players, he has named the Penn State student section the best for two straight years in his Herbie Awards, and even called Penn State the story of the year in college football last season. For this, we expect Herbstreit to get a warm reception in Happy Valley.

Desmond Howard

This is where things get interesting. The Heisman Award winner and former Michigan receiver and return specialist has not been the biggest Penn State believer. Howard picked Wisconsin to beat Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game, and even picked Pitt to beat the Nittany Lions during the second week of this season. He’s also been pretty vocal about the Penn State program in recent years.

“I think they have to go a long way of trying to erase the perception that followed them after the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal, because when most people think of Penn State, they think of that scandal and they think of Joe Paterno and what happened under his watch,” Howard said on College GameDay last year.

“They’ve always appeared to be holier than thou, especially with the ‘Catholics vs. Convicts,'” he said last season about Penn State. Howard was mistaking Penn State for Notre Dame in the famous “Catholics vs. Convicts” game of 1988 against Miami:

No matter how the analysts feel about Penn State, GameDay is coming and we’re excited to see what a show they can put on at one of the most picturesque sites on campus.

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About the Author

Derek Bannister

Derek is a senior majoring in Economics and History. He is legally required to tell you that he's from right outside of Philly. Email Derek compliments and dad-jokes at [email protected].

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