LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Despite speculation and a push from the community, ESPN’s “College GameDay” will not be coming to Arkadelphia for the 98th Battle of the Ravine.
On Sunday afternoon ESPN revealed that it will be taking its show to Pittsburgh, home of co-host Pat McAfee, for the Panthers’ showdown with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Despite speculation and a push from the community, ESPN’s “College GameDay” will not be coming to Arkadelphia for the 98th Battle of the Ravine.
On Sunday afternoon ESPN revealed that it will be taking its show to Pittsburgh, home of co-host Pat McAfee, for the Panthers’ showdown with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Fans around the Natural State and representatives from both colleges began pushing for Arkadelphia to be the home of ESPN’s flagship college football preview show this weekend following speculation from host Rece Davis.
“This is probably going to get me in trouble, but I’m pitching Battle of the Ravine in a few weeks, depending on what else happens,” Davis said in October.
Saturday’s matchup between the Ouachita Baptist Tigers and Henderson State Reddies at Cliff Harris Field will be the 98th matchup between the two programs since 1895, with the Tigers leading the Reddies 47-44-6 in the series.
The matchup is a notoriously short trip for the traveling team. Instead of a bus trip or flight, the visiting team takes a short walk across Highway 67 to the opposing stadium for that year.
This weekend, both the Tigers and the Reddies pulled off victories over conference opponents to enter the rivalry game with identical 7-3 records.