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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

ESPN picks Temple over WSU for College GameDay

Temple's Robby Anderson (19) hauls in the go-ahead  touchdown pass in front of East Carolina's Josh Hawkins (28) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Greenville, N.C., Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. Temple won 24-14.  (Karl B DeBlaker / AP)

Despite a three-game win streak and a big showdown with No. 8 ranked Stanford, ESPN snubbed Washington State University for this weekend’s popular College GameDay.

Why? That’s easy: Notre Dame.

Though WSU fans had been eagerly awaiting the decision and a chance to show renewed enthusiasm for the Cougars, ESPN chose to feature the match-up between the No. 21 Temple Owls and the No. 9 Fighting Irish.

The announcement was made Monday that the ESPN broadcasting crew would instead be headed to Temple’s campus in Philadelphia in anticipation for the school’s hosting the game against Notre Dame, rather than Pullman.

WSU alumni have been waving the school flag – Ol’ Crimson – for 171 straight College GameDay broadcasts in the hopes of someday attracting the show to the Palouse.

The disappointment on Twitter was immediate: “Terrible decision @CollegeGameDay there is no school that’s shown more pride … than WSU. Very disappointing,” wrote WSU student Stacy Hanson.