ESPN’s College GameDay visits App State for 1st time this weekend

BOONE, N.C. — For the first time ever, ESPN’s College GameDay will be in Boone for Saturday’s edition of the show as the Mountaineers host Troy.

The morning football show travels to the biggest game of the week and chose Appalachian State after they beat Texas A&M by a score of 17-14 Saturday, who was ranked sixth in the nation entering the game.

It was the first time the Mountaineers beat a top-10 team since they upset No. 5 Michigan, 34-32, in 2007 when App State was still an FCS team.

The Mountaineers have made plenty of headlines just two games into the season. They hosted North Carolina to kick off the year in a packed stadium and lost in a 63-61 shootout. App State was a heavy underdog going into the game but found a way to win.

The team found out the GameDay crew will be headed to their campus shortly after the win.

“I’m shocked. I’m gonna get up early to go to College GameDay,” student Zach Callicutt.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. Saturday and will be the first conference game of the season for Appalachian State.

Many students are already hard at work on posters to hold up during the show. The chancellor announced the student who holds up the best poster will win a free year of college tuition.

“My dad said I better make that sign and get free tuition,” said student Kendall Corson.

“I’m so pumped, honestly. This is the most amazing experience I’ve ever had,” said cheerleader Carly Lance.

The ESPN team arrived on campus Monday to scout several locations for the big show this weekend. On Monday evening, App State announced the show will be hosted on Sanford Mall in the heart of campus.

The ESPN College GameDay bus rolled up to the stadium Thursday where 1,800 students gathered to show their Mountaineer spirit.

“We’re very excited,” student Anna McDaniel said. “Definitely a college experience as a freshman.”

“App has a lot of hype spirit right now,” student Anna Kate said. “For sure, everyone is really pumped and really excited.”

Some students said that they plan to get up by 4 a.m. to get one of the prime spots for ESPN College GameDay’s Saturday morning show.

“It’s crazy going up and watching ESPN on TV. For ESPN to be here, it’s great,” band member Austin Wiseman said.

“To be able to go in and beat a Top 10 team and get our name on the map. It’s exciting,” student Chase Eighmy said.

Several players from the App State football team were in attendance when the ESPN bus arrived.

“Oh man, it was amazing,” player Andrew Jordan said. “You know we saw all the fans come out and do a good job supporting us. So it really means a lot to us.”

(WATCH BELOW: Appalachian State fans celebrate big win over Texas A&M)

Appalachian State fans celebrate big win over Texas A&M

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