College GameDay Coming to K-State

[ArrowheadHawk]

College GameDay Coming to K-State
Released 08/18/2009 by Kansas State University





MANHATTAN, Kan. - Excitement for basketball season reached a new high on Tuesday, as ESPN announced that College GameDay Driven by State Farm is coming to K-State on Jan. 30 for its annual clash with archrival Kansas.

"I couldn't be happier that ESPN has chosen K-State as a site for its College GameDay show," said athletics director John Currie. "This will be a great opportunity for the rest of the country to see how passionate and enthusiastic our fan base is for Wildcat athletics. Excitement continues to build for our men's basketball program as Coach Martin and his staff has elevated our program to a high level with back-to-back postseason appearances and 20-win seasons."

K-State will be one of eight universities to host College GameDay in 2010, which will begin its sixth season on Jan. 16 for the women's game between Notre Dame and defending national champion Connecticut in Storrs, Conn. Other host sites for the show include Clemson (Jan. 23), Illinois (Feb. 6), Kentucky (Feb. 13), Washington (Feb. 20), Syracuse (Feb. 27) and Duke (Mar. 6).

It will mark the first time College GameDay has made an appearance at Bramlage Coliseum, while it will be the second time the show has covered the annual Sunflower Showdown. The show broadcast from the game at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence on March 1, 2008.

K-State, which has hosted the football version of the show on two occasions in 1998 (vs. Nebraska) and 2000 (vs. Oklahoma), will become just the 15th school (LSU, Boston College, Ohio State, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA and Notre Dame) to have hosted College GameDay for both basketball and football events.

A spin-off of its successful college football version, College GameDay made its debut on Jan. 22, 2005. Host Rece Davis is joined on the program by former Notre Dame head coach Digger Phelps, former Duke player and assistant coach Jay Bilas, former North Carolina standout Hubert Davis, college basketball's all-time winningest coach Bobby Knight and college basketball writer Andy Katz. The show will broadcast live twice, both for one hour from 10 to 11 a.m. CT and 5 to 6 p.m. CT.

The contest between the Wildcats and Jayhawks will be the Saturday Primetime game set for 6 p.m. CT, which is typically broadcast by the trio of Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews.

The primetime affair will be one of at least nine national television games for the Wildcats in 2009-10, all on the ESPN family of networks. In addition to the game with the Jayhawks, ESPN will broadcast the squad's Big Monday clash with Texas at Bramlage Coliseum on Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. CT. The team will also make at least three appearances on ESPN2 and four more on ESPNU.

"I encourage fans to get their season tickets today, as we expect to be at full capacity for the entire season," said Currie. "We want to show the whole country what kind of fan support we have at K-State by breaking the all-time attendance mark for a College GameDay crowd!"

K-State returns four starters and eight lettermen from a squad that produced a 22-12 overall record and finished in a tie for fourth place in the Big 12 in 2008-09. The Wildcats advanced to the second round of the NIT, where they lost to top-seeded San Diego State. In addition, the team will welcome a five-man recruiting class that has been judged to be amongst the top 20 in the nation by several outlets.

Season tickets for Kansas State's entire 17-game home schedule are currently on sale. There are a variety of season ticket options as well as payment plans. The most convenient way to order tickets is online at www.k-statesports.com. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the K-State Athletic Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum or by calling toll-free, (800) 221.CATS.

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What are they thinking with this?

[ArrowheadHawk]

Originally Posted by 58kcfan89

I'll be out at Bramlage as soon as they let students get in line.

Sat through AssFreeze '08 to see Beasley & Walker finally break the steak, then '09 to watch us blow a big lead. Here's hoping AssFreeze '10 ends a bit differently than last.

Good luck with that. KU's team this year is gonna be nasty. Your one Burger boy will not make the difference. They could have a down night, but I doubt it. Collins and Aldrich still remember losing there.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Should be fun. Congrats, KSU. Seems your hoops program is gaining national attention again.

I wouldnt go that far, only reason Gameday is there? KU of course!

[ChiefsNWildcats]

Should be a great atmosphere and hopefully a great game. If nothing else, it is great to at least be good enough to justify gameday coming to your house. It is a far cry from the Wooly losing to UMKC days.

[POND_OF_RED]

When was the last time either of these teams even made the Elite 8?!?!

***runs and hides for cover***

[58kcfan89]

Originally Posted by ArrowheadHawk

Good luck with that. KU's team this year is gonna be nasty. Your one Burger boy will not make the difference. They could have a down night, but I doubt it. Collins and Aldrich still remember losing there.

I know KU will be nasty, I never said they wouldn't be. Doesn't mean that they won't be unbeatable.

I'm not going to get into a big argument with you considering I'm not counting on us winning, but I don't think you will run all over us like you seem to think. The year you ended up winning the freaking National Title, we took you down in Bramlage.

And our "one Burger boy" is just one part of a pretty good class Frank put together. Curtis Kelly and Wally Judge are going to look a lot different in the low post than last year's amazing lineup of Darren Kent & Luis Colon.

[sedated]

I'm pretty glad as a KU fan. That place should be rocking, and it'll be a great test for the Jayhawks.

[ArrowheadHawk]

Originally Posted by 58kcfan89

I know KU will be nasty, I never said they wouldn't be. Doesn't mean that they won't be unbeatable.

I'm not going to get into a big argument with you considering I'm not counting on us winning, but I don't think you will run all over us like you seem to think. The year you ended up winning the freaking National Title, we took you down in Bramlage.

And our "one Burger boy" is just one part of a pretty good class Frank put together. Curtis Kelly and Wally Judge are going to look a lot different in the low post than last year's amazing lineup of Darren Kent & Luis Colon.

So you may make the tourney again?

[GoHuge]

Originally Posted by ArrowheadHawk

Good luck with that. KU's team this year is gonna be nasty. Your one Burger boy will not make the difference. They could have a down night, but I doubt it. Collins and Aldrich still remember losing there.

That's a fairly arrogant statement. The 07-08' season KU won the ship they had five pros (more actually with Cole and Collins) on their team. They lost to K-State who had two pros (1st and 2nd rounder) a couple other freshmen and two decent college players. Down night or got beat? I doubt Bill Self is going to go into that game thinking that as long as they don't have an off night they should just roll. Wally Judge is no Michael Beasley, but I think it shows how much one player can completely change the dynamic of a game. KU is going to be the fave to win the NCAA Tournament as they absolutely should be. Doesn't mean you can't lose one game. The last championship team came in and lost. When your on the road at your rivals house all bets are off. That's my only point. You be crazy to pick K-State against this team, but that's why they play the game. Go look at that night on YouTube. The place was nuts. That is what ESPN is wanting to give their viewers. Two teams that will be top 25, in state rivals, and seperated by an hour drive. Good stuff! Should be an awesome night. A good time for the entire state and fans of both schools. Surely KU fans like K-State being competitive to make the rivalry fun and relevant, No?

[kstater]

Originally Posted by ArrowheadHawk

So you may make the tourney again?

Short answer, yes.

They've got a pretty good class coming in and several decent starters returning. I hope the days of being in the cellar are gone, and I ultimately think the hiring of Coach Martin will lead to competing for con. Championships and deep tourney runs.

[Skip Towne]

K-State has advanced to post season play for TWO consecutive years? That's pretty heady stuff.

[DJJasonp]

Originally Posted by GoHuge39

That's a fairly arrogant statement. The 07-08' season KU won the ship they had five pros (more actually with Cole and Collins) on their team. They lost to K-State who had two pros (1st and 2nd rounder) a couple other freshmen and two decent college players. Down night or got beat? I doubt Bill Self is going to go into that game thinking that as long as they don't have an off night they should just roll. Wally Judge is no Michael Beasley, but I think it shows how much one player can completely change the dynamic of a game. KU is going to be the fave to win the NCAA Tournament as they absolutely should be. Doesn't mean you can't lose one game. The last championship team came in and lost. When your on the road at your rivals house all bets are off. That's my only point. You be crazy to pick K-State against this team, but that's why they play the game. Go look at that night on YouTube. The place was nuts. That is what ESPN is wanting to give their viewers. Two teams that will be top 25, in state rivals, and seperated by an hour drive. Good stuff! Should be an awesome night. A good time for the entire state and fans of both schools. Surely KU fans like K-State being competitive to make the rivalry fun and relevant, No?

yes...cause playing @ Kansas State has been such a house of horrors for KU for the past 25 years!

[hawkchief]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Should be fun. Congrats, KSU. Seems your hoops program is gaining national attention again.

KSuck got the game because they are playing David to their big brother Goliath - once again. ESPN likes fairy tales, and it doesn't get much more so than KSU vs. Kansas. KSU doesn't sniff a Game Day without Kansas coming to visit.

[58kcfan89]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

yes...cause playing @ Kansas State has been such a house of horrors for KU for the past 25 years!

Game will be played in 2010, not 1999. Thanks for reminding us that we sucked under Woodridge & Asbury, though.

Originally Posted by hawkchief

KSuck got the game because they are playing David to their big brother Goliath - once again. ESPN likes fairy tales, and it doesn't get much more so than KSU vs. Kansas. KSU doesn't sniff a Game Day without Kansas coming to visit.

Jeez, you guys are really getting mad over this. Like someone said earlier, I would think you would want KSU to start doing well so that the game will mean something (and assuming you kill us as bad as you all claim[], it'll make said win look more impressive).

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by GoHuge39

That's a fairly arrogant statement. The 07-08' season KU won the ship they had five pros (more actually with Cole and Collins) on their team. They lost to K-State who had two pros (1st and 2nd rounder) a couple other freshmen and two decent college players. Down night or got beat? I doubt Bill Self is going to go into that game thinking that as long as they don't have an off night they should just roll. Wally Judge is no Michael Beasley, but I think it shows how much one player can completely change the dynamic of a game. KU is going to be the fave to win the NCAA Tournament as they absolutely should be. Doesn't mean you can't lose one game. The last championship team came in and lost. When your on the road at your rivals house all bets are off. That's my only point. You be crazy to pick K-State against this team, but that's why they play the game. Go look at that night on YouTube. The place was nuts. That is what ESPN is wanting to give their viewers. Two teams that will be top 25, in state rivals, and seperated by an hour drive. Good stuff! Should be an awesome night. A good time for the entire state and fans of both schools. Surely KU fans like K-State being competitive to make the rivalry fun and relevant, No?

Good post.

I'm all for the Big 12 getting as much respect and coverage as possible in basketball and football. Especially the North. **** the South.

[Saulbadguy]

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

K-State has advanced to post season play for TWO consecutive years? That's pretty heady stuff.

3 years.

BACK TO BACK TO BACK 4th place finishes in the Big XII. Only other team to accomplish that is Kansas.