ESPN College Gameday 2023: TV Schedule, Predictions and Location for Week 12
The ESPN College Gameday crew rolls into Harrisonburg, Virginia Saturday for a showdown between the 18th-ranked James Madison Dukes and the Appalachian State Mountaineers.
Dukes fans will be red-hot for the weekly pregame show and ready to show their school spirit at a time when both the football and men's basketball teams are nationally ranked.
Will they be able to stay undefeated on the season and drive their record to a perfect 11-0?
Find out with this preview of the game, as well as a full schedule of Top 25 play.
College Gameday Information
Location: Harrisonburg, Virginia
Time: 9:00 a.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN+
Panel: Reece Davis, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, and Pat McAfee
Top 25 Schedule
Saturday, November 18
No. 2 Michigan at Maryland (12:00 p.m., FOX)
Chattanooga at No. 8 Alabama (12:00 p.m., ESPN+)
No. 9 Louisville at Miami (12:00 p.m., ABC)
Rutgers at No. 12 Penn State (12:00 p.m., ABC)
UL-Monroe at No. 13 Ole Miss (12:00 p.m., SEC Network)
No. 14 Oklahoma at BYU (12:00 p.m., ESPN)
No. 17 Tulane at Florida Atlantic (12:00 p.m., ESPN+)
Massachusetts at No. 25 Liberty (1:00 p.m., ESPN+)
Appalachian State at No. 18 James Madison (2:00 p.m., ESPN+)
No. 16 Utah at No. 19 Arizona (2:30 p.m., Pac-12 Network)
No. 1 Georgia at No. 21 Tennessee (3:30 p.m., CBS)
Wake Forest at No. 20 Notre Dame (3:30 p.m., NBC)
No. 22 North Carolina at Clemson (3:30 p.m., ESPN)
Minnesota at No. 3 Ohio State (4:00 p.m., BTN)
No. 6 Oregon at Arizona State (4:00 p.m., Fox)
No. 24 Oklahoma State at Houston (4:00 p.m., ESPN2)
North Alabama at No. 4 Florida State (6:30 p.m., CW)
No. 23 Kansas State at Kansas (7:00 p.m., FS1)
No. 5 Washington at No. 10 Oregon State (7:30 p.m., ABC)
Florida at No. 11 Missouri (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
No. 7 Texas at Iowa State (8:00 p.m., Fox)
Georgia State at No. 15 LSU (8:00 p.m., ESPN2)
James Madison vs. Appalachian State Prediction
The Dukes enter Saturday's game at 10-0, on the heels of a devastating ruling by the NCAA that denied them bowl eligibility.
With more eyes on them than at any other point this season because of ESPN's presence on campus Saturday, James Madison has the opportunity to make a statement in a higher-profile game than they are otherwise used to. They can prove to the college football world that their 10-0 record is not a fluke but that they have earned an opportunity to compete in a bowl game.
Will it change the ruling or even cause decision-makers to re-evaluate? Not even a little, but it will serve as a message loudly and clearly that they have earned their unblemished record.
It will not be easy.
Despite their record, they face an uphill battle without star defensive end Jalen Green, who helped the Dukes lead the nation in sacks this season. A knee injury ended his season prematurely, just before a showdown with Appalachian State in which his 15.5 sacks would have helped slow down the Mountaineers offense.
App State quarterback Joey Aguilar is completing 63.8 percent of his passes, with 26 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He leads a 15th-ranked squad that has amassed 4569 yards, 43 offensive touchdowns, and is averaging 456.9 yards a game.
They are an offensive juggernaut, even if their 6-4 record does not necessarily reflect as much.
The Dukes will have to get to Aguilar early and often. Disrupt his timing, even if they do not get to the quarterback. Gets hands in his face and make sure he sees their jerseys before he sees his own teammates break open.
James Madison, despite their leading 43 sacks, only had one in their last game, a 44-6 dismantling of a bad Connecticut team. If they do not get to the QB and allow Aguilar to pick them apart, the Mountaineers may leave Harrisonburg with an upset and render all positive sentiment surrounding a bowl berth pointless.
Despite a tough match-up for the unbeaten home team, it feels very much like an opportunity for James Madison to make a statement. This is their moment, a chance for a defiant victory.
If redshirt senior Jordan McCloud can complete 70 percent of his passes, as he has cumulatively this season, and can avoid turnovers, he will guide the Dukes to victory.
Prediction: James Madison outlasts Appalachian State, 33-28