From the couch to the field: College GameDay in Boise is ‘crazy’ for these Broncos

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Just one year ago, Rasean Jones spent Saturday mornings recovering from his Friday-night Rocky Mountain High School football games, sprawled out on the couch and eyes glued to ESPN’s College GameDay.

Tyler Ethridge used to tune in to the same channel from his apartment couch in Pueblo, Colorado, where he worked part-time as a security guard for a nearby discount store. Later on Saturdays, he’d suit up for Division II team Colorado State Pueblo.

Harry Stewart III also played on Saturdays for the Kansas Jayhawks. Though he grew up watching College GameDay every weekend with his mom, it didn’t feel like a show made for his Kansas team, which struggled even to become bowl-eligible.

This Saturday, all three of those players will have something in common: They’ll be playing for a team featured on College GameDay.

“It just doesn’t even feel real,” Ethridge, a senior left tackle for Boise State, told reporters on Wednesday. “… Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, all those guys are coming here… just too crazy to even think about.”

ESPN’s College GameDay will host its weekly pregame show from Boise State’s campus this weekend ahead of the Broncos’ (8-1, 5-0 Pac-12) conference matchup against Oregon State (5-4, 3-2 Pac-12). It’s the first time since 2010 that College GameDay has broadcast a show from Boise State. The show’s main television desk will be set up on DeChevrieux Field at the southwest corner of Albertsons Stadium, giving viewers at home a backdrop of the stadium — including the Stueckle Sky Center and Hall of Fame — and the Boise Foothills.

The pregame show will start at 7 a.m. and run until 10 a.m., with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m.

“It’s going to be a big opportunity, especially for the community,” Stewart, a junior running back, said on Tuesday. “We know it’s a big game and a lot of eyes.”

There certainly will be a lot of eyes on the Broncos this weekend. College GameDay averages about 2.6 million viewers per weekend, according to ESPN. The game later in the day will be broadcast on USA Sports.

One of the main storylines heading into Saturday’s game will likely center on a pair of high-flying freshman wide receivers: Oregon State’s Jesse Legree and Boise State’s Rasean Jones.

Legree leads the nation in receiving yards (1,209) and receiving touchdowns (14) and has been mentioned in Heisman Trophy discussions. Jones’ numbers don’t stand out as much, with 670 receiving yards and five touchdowns, but he’s looked the part of a star in the making. He’s recorded at least 100 receiving yards in his last two games, and with millions of eyes on the Broncos this weekend, it’s a chance for Jones to introduce himself to the nation — even if he doesn’t see it that way himself.

“I’m excited for sure,” Jones said. “But it’s really just another game. I’m not too worried about the big picture of it and how big it is. I’m just focused on winning the game, and whatever I can do to help us win.”