CHARLOTTE, N.C. — ESPN's iconic "College GameDay" show will roll into the Queen City for the season-opening matchup between the North Carolina Tar Heels and South Carolina Gamecocks, the network announced Monday.
The Tar Heels and Gamecocks will face off in the Duke's Mayo Classic at Bank of America Stadium. "GameDay" will be held at nearby Romare Bearden Park on Sept. 2, where it's previously welcomed guests for the huge Clemson vs. Georgia game in 2021, as well as ACC championship games. Rece Davis will be joined by Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee, as well as Lee Corso, who will put on a mascot head for the first time in 2023 at the show.
The three-hour show begins at 9 a.m. inside Romare Bearden Park. The border matchup between the ACC's Tar Heels and SEC's Gamecocks will be one of the premier Week 1 games of the college football season. It will be broadcast on ABC at 7:30 p.m.
Each of the last three meetings between North Carolina and South Carolina have happened in Charlotte with the Gamecocks holding two wins. Their most recent matchup was the 2021 Duke's Mayo Bowl, which led to the infamous (and maybe a little unsettling) mayo bath of South Carolina coach Shane Beamer.
Both teams enter the season with high expectations due to experienced quarterbacks. UNC's Drake Maye is one of the preseason Heisman favorites, while South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler showed flashes in wins over Tennessee and Clemson last season.
This will be the 440th road show in "GameDay" history and the first for a North Carolina vs. South Carolina matchup. It's the Gamecocks' first appearance on GameDay since 2014. North Carolina hasn't been the featured game on ESPN's show since 2010. This is "GameDay's first appearance in North Carolina since visiting Appalachian State last fall.
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