By Derrick Ow — Reporter
Allow ourselves to think of a post-pandemic world. Imagine that College GameDay came to our campus.
Yes, if the famous ESPN show actually set up shop in San Jose along with its colorful cast of characters. Lee Corso could be wearing Sammy the Spartan’s headgear.
There are many dominoes that need to fall in order for that to happen.
The magic of the show is having students back on campus. Having SJSU students get rowdy at 6 a.m. is what makes college football so special. Watching College GameDay this season is not the same because without students on campus the show is lacking the missing ingredient.
It is a shame that our university is not having in-person classes this semester. I could think of just the impact the Spartans could have on campus. The school pride would be contagious among our student body.
The next step would be to finish the building projects on campus.
During my three semesters at SJSU there has always construction. Hearing steel beams going into the ground definitely distracts you from learning in the classroom, imagine trying to do a TV show with that noise.
The fun part is seeing the new Interdisciplinary Science Building getting taller and taller. That building is expected to be completed in 2022.
Imagine seeing ESPN reporter Tom Rinaldi inside the building telling a story about a Spartan football player.
Think about Tower Hall, the Olympic Black Power Statue and the new science building in the set’s backdrop.
We did not ignore the facility upgrades on South Campus, the Spartan Athletics Center that is under construction is projected to open in 2023.
SJSU is also planning to open its own on-campus stadium for the baseball team.
South Campus is undergoing a massive makeover. I could see the show being broadcasted from the brand new Spartan Athletic Center.
The Spartans will need to play against a marquee opponent here on campus. Imagine seeing a rivalry game between Fresno State and SJSU being spotlighted on the show.
There is still a lot of work to be done for this to happen. The Spartans will consistently need to contend for a Mountain West crown for the foreseeable future.
Confetti could fall on CEFCU Stadium this season. San Jose State football are on the verge of permanently returning to the national college football.
If the Spartans can win the Mountain West go the spoils of hosting College Gameday in the South Bay.
