College Gameday Snubs USC vs. Alabama, Goes to LSU-Wisconsin

Since it was announced two years ago that the 2016 season would kick off with a USC vs. Alabama game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., it’s been widely assumed the game would host College Gameday. That’s no longer the case.

College Gameday, the iconic traveling roadshow of college football has selected the Week 1 matchup at Lambeau Field between LSU and Wisconsin as their season-opening destination.

ESPN made the announcement on Twitter, with a video message from panelist and former Green Bay Packer wide receiver Desmond Howard.

On the surface, the move appears to be a play into the unprecedented novelty of a major college football game being played at the historic Lambeau Field, which stands as the oldest and most iconic NFL stadium. Well, perhaps outside of the LA Coliseum.

As a game, LSU vs. Wisconsin is rightfully a marquee matchup between a couple of brand names, but it doesn’t hold the weight of the others on the Week 1 docket. Using the Coaches Poll as a barometer, it pits the No. 6 Tigers against an unranked Badgers team that finished third in the Big Ten West last season.

SEE MORE: 10 Biggest Week 1 Wins in USC Football History

Cowboys Classic fatigue could ultimately be a factor for Gameday, as it’s hosted the show four times in the last five years. The last two seasons, the show even tried to avoid getting stale ahead of late kickoff, by moving the staging of the set from AT&T Stadium to Sundance Square in Fort Worth.

But while going to Arlington or Fort Worth could prove too repetitive for ESPN despite the historic matchup between No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 17 USC, the game of the week could be when No. 3 Oklahoma plays No. 13 Houston on September 3rd.

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Like LSU-Wisconsin, the Sooners and Cougars will meet at an NFL stadium. But NRG Stadium just doesn’t have the cache that Lambeau Field does.

With Gameday not siding with the Trojans’ game, Lee Corso’s miraculous picking streak will stay intact another week.

The former head coach is a perfect 16-0 when selecting USC with head gear, and 5-0 when he goes the other way.

The last time USC participated in a College Gameday setup was in 2013, when the Trojans toppled No. 5. Stanford under Ed Orgeron.