It’s going to be madness this weekend in Columbia.
You’ve heard that 100 times already, but especially with Parents Weekend upon us, it can’t be stated enough: crowds around campus are going to be insane. With Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and company bringing their College GameDay set to the Horseshoe for this particular weekend, it'll be even harder to get on TV.
Thus, here are some guidelines to fulfill your dream of making the GameDay broadcast.
1. Get there early and camp out
If you want get an ideal spot behind the center of the GameDay, set where screen time is plentiful, you'll have to camp out all night on the Horseshoe or claim your spot around 4 or 5 a.m. So, if you didn’t have any plans Friday night, you’re welcome. Make sure to explain to your parents that after a delicious dinner with them, you need to solidify an area for you to set up camp. This tactic may be the best way to achieve your goal of getting at least 15 seconds of fame.
2. Have a great sign
The signs on College GameDay are a major part of the atmosphere. Classic posters that say things like “Herbstreit Drives A Prius” or “Dabo Swinney Wears Tighty Whities” help make the show what it is, a place where college students can joke around and have a memorable time. The producers are very careful about not airing any profane or disrespectful signs, so you have to keep it relatively PG if you want it to get on camera. We’ve heard ideas thrown around all week. A safe but clever idea for a sign — courtesy of the Daily Gamecock's Collyn Taylor— is “Maty Mauk, Hoosier Daddy?” That refers to the Missouri quarterback who was upset by the Indiana Hoosiers last week.
3. Deck yourself out in absurd fan gear
If you are to get on TV using this method, you have to go all out and look the craziest out of anyone. I’m saying you need to be covered head to toe in garnet and black body paint with a rooster hat and lots of feathers on you. You have to stick out if you want to make it to the promised land. Dare to be bold.
4. Bring a live rooster
This seemed like a foolproof plan until I learned that you cannot bring pets on the Horseshoe on Saturday. So, we’re going to alter the plan a little bit. If you can somehow find a rooster and parade him around in the early hours near the set — most likely around Russell House or on Sumter Street — there’s a decent chance you can catch an eye of a GameDay producer who will demand that they need to get you on the show. Keep in mind that you should treat this rooster right, and also, get permission from whoever owns said rooster to borrow it for the day.