Sorry, Cougs: ‘College GameDay’ chooses Philadelphia over Pullman

Despite Washington State's 5-2 record and a matchup with Stanford for the Pac-12 division lead on Saturday, ESPN's "College GameDay" will instead head to Pennsylvania for Notre Dame vs. Temple.

BY ERIC MANDEL

Oct 26, 2015, 10:05 AM Updated: 10:55 am

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(AP)

“College GameDay” will not be making its long-awaited visit to Pullman this weekend.

Despite Washington State’s 5-2 record and a matchup with Stanford for the Pac-12 division lead on Saturday, the popular ESPN pregame show will be heading to Pennsylvania for Notre Dame vs. Temple. That was announced in a Tweet Monday morning.

We're coming to Philly! See you Saturday, @Temple_FB and @NDFootball. pic.twitter.com/g0EVhjJMAn

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 26, 2015

“College GameDay” has never visited the the Cougars’ home, but a WSU flag has been visible among the various signs for 171 straight broadcasts, since Oct. 18, 2003, which is the longest such streak in the country. The show Tweeted Sunday that it would make a decision Monday and that the powers that be were “sleeping on it.”

Washington State has lost to Portland State and California this season but has major wins against Oregon and, this past weekend, Arizona. 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard will be calling the WSU game for ESPN on Halloween, but didn’t know Monday morning whether “College GameDay” would be traveling with him. He said WSU seemed to have a “very legitimate chance” to play host, but that it wouldn’t be easy.

“I think they would love to come to Pullman, but the logistics are just a nightmare for all the moving pieces and everything that’s gonna happen,” Huard said Monday on “Brock and Salk”.

Huard lamented the decision once it was announced but noted that “College GameDay” traveled to a smaller venue last weekend – James Madison University, in Harrisonburg, Va.

“That’s a bummer, man, not even for selfish reasons,” Huard said.

“What a gut punch,” Mike Salk added. “So, essentially, they are saying they are never coming to Pullman.”

There were immediate rumors of boycotting the WSU flag-flying at Temple this weekend. Salk said he agreed with such a stance.

“I would be childish if I was them,” Salk said. “I would not fly the flag next week.”