For 16 straight weeks this fall, ESPN's weekly College GameDay show traveled around the country to the best venues in college football.
Starting in Dublin, Ireland, for a matchup between Florida State and Georgia Tech in Week 0 and capping off the regular season in Week 15 in Atlanta, Ga., for the SEC championship game, the ESPN cast and crew went to 15 different locations throughout the season—including Texas A&M's home in College Station twice.
But which venue was the best scene in 2024? Longtime analyst Kirk Herbstreit, who has starred on the show since 1996, offered his choice Friday night to wrap up his annual Herbie Awards on ESPN: Memorial Glade in the heart of the campus at Cal.
"Man, we had so many fun spots throughout the year," Herbstreit said on the show. "But going to Cal—I'll be honest, it made me scratch my head [when it was announced]. 'Miami and Cal? Are we going to get much of a crowd?'
"But look at that crowd!" Herbstreit exclaimed as footage of the fans at Cal was shown on the ESPN broadcast. "Unbelievable. The best scene of the year by far."
College GameDay's first time coming to Cal was HERBIE-WORTHY🔥 pic.twitter.com/QnJym9Y3SF
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 14, 2024
For the first time in the show's history, College GameDay traveled to Berkeley, Calif., in Week 6 for a matchup between Cal, then 3–1, and No. 8 Miami, which was 5–0 entering the game. Fans flocked to the campus to take in the show, and hours before it was set to begin at 6 a.m. PT, spectators burst through the College GameDay gates and swarmed behind the stage to get a good spot.
BREAKING: The Cal crowd waiting in line for College GameDay has broken through the gates before the official opening.
— Avinash Kunnath (@avinashkunnath) October 5, 2024
Complete chaos in Berkeley. There is not enough security to organize the crowd. pic.twitter.com/Y0iEEZEiKs
Throughout the day, Cal fans were lauded across social media for their creative signs and contagious energy.
The game didn't disappoint, either.
Cal looked prime for an upset when it took a 38–18 lead early in the fourth quarter. But the Hurricanes stormed back on three unanswered touchdowns by quarterback Cam Ward (two passing, one rushing), including a game-winning 5-yard score with 26 seconds remaining.
The Golden Bears didn't win the game, but they did win the respect of the College GameDay cast, edging out the common SEC venues the show often broadcasts from in Herbstreit's annual awards. Congratulations Berkeley, you are now on Herbstreit's radar.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kirk Herbstreit Selects Surprising Choice for Best 'College GameDay' Venue of 2024.
