College Gameday announces UNC-South Carolina game as Week 1 location in 2023

The Week 1 matchup between North Carolina and South Carolina will have a little extra excitement surrounding it. College GameDay will be in Charlotte for the battle of the Carolinas, ESPN announced on Monday.

The game will take place on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m., with College GameDay broadcasting from Charlotte that morning.

There are high expectations for both programs entering the 2023 season. UNC is led by one of the top quarterbacks in the country in Drake Maye, while South Carolina returns star quarterback Spencer Rattler and stud receiver Juice Wells.

WE'RE COMING TO THE QUEEN CITY! 👑

See you Week 1 in Charlotte for a battle of the Carolinas 🍿@UNCFootball | @GamecockFB pic.twitter.com/OJ7J7SOM6b

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) July 24, 2023

South Carolina and North Carolina are viewed as borderline top 25 teams entering the 2023 season, so it’s no surprise that College GameDay chose the matchup. The Gamecocks are coming off of an 8-5 campaign in 2022, which included wins over top-10 teams Tennessee and Clemson to close out the regular season.

The Tar Heels finished last season with a 9-5 record. UNC won the ACC Coastal Division in 2022, before falling to Clemson in the ACC title game in Charlotte.

The Gamecocks and Tar Heels are not strangers to Charlotte as the two teams faced off in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in December of 2021, with South Carolina earning a 38-21 win. UNC won the previous meeting between the two teams, beating the Gamecocks 24-20 in Charlotte to open the 2019 season. That game was the first for Mack Brown after returning to North Carolina. He is now entering his fifth season with the Tar Heels.

Shane Beamer, who is currently the head coach at South Carolina, was an assistant at Oklahoma when the 2019 game was played.

Rece Davis responds to College GameDay co-host David Pollack being let go by ESPN

College GameDay will be a bit different for the 2023 season as longtime analyst David Pollack was let go by ESPN earlier this summer.

GameDay host Rece Davis responded to the move shortly after Pollack was let go.

“Class personified. I’ve joked for years that @davidpollack47 is the little brother I never wanted. Truth is, he’s as good a man & as good a friend as I could’ve ever hoped for,” tweeted the ESPN College GameDay host. “He’s a brother to me for life. He’s a man of God. He’s a selfless teammate, an exemplary family man.

“… Tough day. But as he alludes to in the video, who can be against him. (Romans 8:31). And whatever is next for David, he will crush it.”