MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Several students plan to camp out all week on the Mountainlair Plaza in hopes of landing a front-row view when ESPN’s “College GameDay” goes live from campus Saturday morning ahead of the West Virginia-TCU game.
Mike Garrity, a native of Westport, Conn., pitched a tent and was one of the first students in line Sunday.
“We’re all pretty excited about it,” Garrity said Monday. “We have a few other Pikes (Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity) down here. We’re all setting up and getting an early start.”
“GameDay” visited WVU for the 2011 game against LSU. Students and fans jammed the plaza and lined the streets on the downtown campus. Student Zach Schwartz, of Morgantown, expects a similar atmosphere this time.
“Bananas,” Schwartz predicted. “I expect streets to be lined over here. I expect it to be crazy.”
The students camping out said they plan on alternating times spent on the plaza so they can go to class. One tent already has a TV installed.
Student C.J. Walters, from Gay, W.Va, was on campus for ESPN’s 2011 visit and wants to experience it again.
“It was absolutely nuts. There were thousands of people here and the atmosphere was crazy. It’s something you can’t miss,” he said.
The No. 20 Mountaineers and 10th-ranked Horned Frogs will battle at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.