Vandy AD says they had to make ‘impassioned plea’ to host College GameDay on campus
By Jyesha Nance
Published:
For the first time since Oct. 4, 2008, ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast live from Vanderbilt’s campus this Saturday for an SEC showdown between No. 10 Vanderbilt and No. 15 Missouri. However, hosting GameDay on campus wasn’t easily achieved.
According to Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Storey Lee, ESPN initially hoped to host the show off campus, ideally on Broadway or in Centennial Park in Nashville. Vanderbilt officials advocated strongly for the university, arguing that Vanderbilt’s campus deserved the spotlight.
“Well, quite frankly, when the ESPN GameDay Crew came, I think it’s okay to say the initial interest was in [hosting it on] Broadway. We hit at least three different spots on campus; there was talk of Broadway and there was talk of Centennial as an option [as well],” Lee said during a wide-ranging interview with the Vanderbilt Hustler.
“Knowing that they have a pretty decent footprint, our team showed them Wyatt [Lawn] and we spent quite a bit of time making the case for why. It’s their decision, but we, in spending time with them, made an impassioned plea as to why it needed to be on campus because we deserve it.”
The Commodores have achieved significant milestones since the 2024 season. In 2024, they ended a 23-game losing streak by defeating then-No. 1 Alabama, marking their first-ever win over an AP top-5 opponent. That win contributed to a 6-6 regular-season record, earning them a spot in the Birmingham Bowl, where they defeated Georgia Tech to secure their first winning season and bowl win since 2013.
The 2025 season has been even more impressive.
The team started Week 6 with a 5-0 record for the first time since 2008, including a 1-0 start in SEC play. Their current Top 10 ranking is their highest since 1947, and their 6-1 record has already made them bowl eligible.
With Vanderbilt’s recent success and the return of College GameDay after nearly 17 years, it’s easy to understand why the school felt hosting from the heart of campus was the right move.
