ESPN announced the College Gameday schedule for the 2011-2012 basketball season today and Kansas will be a participant in at least one game, while possibly hosting a second.
The Jayhawks will be in Columbia Missouri when Gameday sets up for the February 4th matchup between Kansas and the hated Missouri Tigers. Now I'm all for this rivalry gaining exposure and receiving the National recognition that Gameday provides but putting it in Columbia seems a bit off.
I guess it does accomplish at least one thing in that it should provide for a closer game. Missouri hasn't exactly given the Jayhawks much competition in Lawrence of late so at least this way ESPN avoids a blowout even though that isn't likely to happen in either venue this year due to the Kansas turnover.
The other opportunity for Kansas to appear on Gamday is the only "toss-up" game on the schedule and that comes the last weekend of the month. The choices are Duke-North Carolina or Texas-Kansas. If Texas-Kansas gets the nod then Gameday will be back in Lawrence. But let's be honest, that ain't happening. Not with ESPN driving the ship and not with what ESPN has turned into College Basketballs Red Sox/Yankees. ESPN will be at Cameron Indoor with a 95% certainty so for now we'll just have to be content that a young Kansas team will have an opportunity to test themselves on the National stage in Columbia.