Walking up to Aggie Park on any typical game day, there would be a sea of tailgating tents, grills fired up and fans in full maroon regalia, but on this particular Saturday, the scene was different. Mattresses, pillows and blankets were scattered around the park and tents were pitched — but not for tailgating but rather something far more unique. These fans were staking their claim to a piece of history, ready to be part of the electric atmosphere only College GameDay could bring. 

College Station became the epicenter of college football as early as 5 a.m., with hundreds of fans lining up for a chance to be seen on live TV and eagerly awaiting the 6:30 p.m. showdown. 

The Aggies made their 7th appearance since 2018 on ESPN’s college gameday on Saturday, Aug. 31. Hosts such as Pat McAfee and former coach Nic Saban set up shop in Aggie Park for the highly anticipated game between No. 20 Texas A&M and No. 7 Notre Dame.

ESPN PR Manager Julie McKay said she did not know what to expect from this game since the team was in Ireland last week. Since she had never been to College Station, she did not know how the event would fare, but she said the way the community and school embraced them was refreshing. 

“This feels like a really good way to start the season for us,” McKay said. 

Mckay said the crowd of hundreds of Aggies was excited, and the national attention has been nothing but positive, making her first experience in Aggieland a great one. Before going live, she said she glanced at the various signs students were holding to see if any were offensive — and was glad to see she didn’t have to worry at all. 

The football game was not the only thing that had people hyped, as A&M and Notre Dame fans got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be present as the live audience for a TV show they have watched their whole lives. 

For many fans, the tradition of ESPN’s GameDay began in childhood, waking up to the smell of breakfast and the sound of their dads’ excited cheers. Now, years later, these same fans found themselves in the heart of the action. 

Sophomore Diego De La Rosa was one of those people. He said how excited he would be as a kid waking up to his dad watching GameDay every morning, eating pancakes.

“I’m here to be on TV because my dad loved College GameDay, and it’s a dream of his,” De La Rose said. “And it’s a dream of mine.”

While most Aggies started camping out for ticket pull, two determined fans, sophomores Avery Mullins and Jacy Archie, took it a step further and started camping out the Wednesday before the show to secure a front-and-center spot. Mullins said she spent days camping in a tent with one blanket to acquire the coveted orange Home Depot hard hat.

“GameDay is all about the atmosphere and showing everyone how Aggieland does it around here and showing what an Aggie means,” Archie said. 

College football might be something that students enjoy with their friends, their organizations and roommates, but for senior Marybeth Rayburn, this moment was special. She said she had been there since midnight with her mother, Stephanie Rayburn. They made a pact months before football season kicked off, agreeing that if College GameDay came into town, they would be camping out because it’s her mom’s favorite show. 

“The energy is just euphoria, and I wanted to get up close, see everybody and people watch instead of watching this from my living room,” Stephanie said.

This moment meant everything to kids such as Caleb, Andrew and Luke Moran, as they said they would much rather be out there to see Johnny Manziel and take in an A&M game day experience than sleep in. For the Moran brothers, it was also an opportunity to spend time with their father, a big A&M fan. 

“I love to bring my boys out whenever there is a game,” said Class of 2005 Roy Moran. “It’s fun to see all the signs and what people come up with.” 

The plethora of Maroon and White did not stop the Fighting Irish from making their presence known. Notre Dame fans Taurus Holbert and Sandra Holbert were present at Kyle Field since 4 a.m., and they both said the Aggies made their experience enjoyable and treated them well. Holbert said he watches college football every single day and wanted to make sure he got the full experience. 

“This is my first time at Kyle Field, and the fans have been nice and welcoming,” said Holbert. “This panel and everyone here made this so fun.”

Commentator Pat McAfee had the crowd roaring as he went around high-fiving fans and firing off the Tarleton gun — and of course, his high-energy antics had the crowd buzzing. On the other hand, the hundreds present roared when legendary sports broadcaster Lee Corso went back and forth between Notre Dame and A&M helmets and finally kissed the A&M helmet, solidifying his prediction for this week’s winner. 

NFL analyst for ESPN, Harry Douglas, said it was his first time being in College Station and that the crowd, the people and how they embrace the culture was one of a kind. 

“As soon as I walked up, the people were so gracious,” Douglas said. “It felt like a home away from home, and that was the first ten minutes I even came out here. Whenever you can go somewhere outside of your own establishment and feel embraced and feel like you belong, that’s all you need.”

The creativity when it comes to the signs people made and their dedication to camping out for this event is why ESPN continues to spotlight this event. For those present, it wasn’t just about being on TV — it was about a shared experience that transcended generations.