ESPN analyst blasts College GameDay for choosing Alabama-Vanderbilt over FSU-Miami
By Mark Kern
Published:
ESPN made the decision to send College GameDay to Tuscaloosa in Week 6 for the Vanderbilt and Alabama game, surprising some college football fans. The storyline there is the obvious fact that the Commodores pulled off the shocking upset over the Crimson Tide last season.
During a podcast, Kris Budden and Roddy Jones were talking about the fact Miami and Florida State are also playing that weekend in Tallahassee. That topic made Jones get very passionate, as he blasted the network for not going to the historic rivalry.
“Not good Kris, not going to lie to you,” Jones said when Budden asked him how he felt about that decision. “Listen, I do a lot with the ACC. I played in the ACC, I love the conference. I am fighting a losing battle. Didn’t Alabama lose to Florida State? The novelty of Alabama and Vanderbilt playing as ranked teams go back 365 days. (Vanderbilt) had lost 40 years straight (prior to 2024). What do you say about Vanderbilt and Alabama that can’t be said in four sentences? We could take four days talking about Florida State and Miami. These two teams haven’t met as ranked teams in a decade.”
Jones points out in the interview, the loss to Virginia last weekend played a role in this for Florida State. If the Seminoles were also undefeated, this matchup would have likely been a showdown of teams in the top-8.
While College GameDay may not be there, that has a chance to steal the day. Jones is right, the history in this rivalry competes with many of the best ones in the sport.
