For the second time in program history, ESPN CollegeDay covered by State Farm will air from the Fertitta Center court. The national show, hosted by Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Seth Greenberg, Andraya Carter and Jay Williams, provides weekly insights and analysis and airs 9 a.m., to 11 a.m., on ESPN and ESPN+. ALL fans are encouraged to attend and show their Cougar pride on Saturday.
Admission is FREE to ESPN College GameDay covered by State Farm, and no ticket is required. Complimentary coffee and donuts from Shipley Do-Nuts will be provided at the Holman Street entrance while supplies last, beginning at 7 a.m., Saturday.
The show will air before the fifth-ranked Cougars play host to Big 12 Conference-rival #8/8 Iowa State at 1 p.m., Saturday, in a pivotal Big 12 Conference match-up.
STATE FARM HALF-COURT SHOT
Students are encouraged to arrive early for the opportunity to compete in the State Farm half-court shot for a chance to win $19,000 courtesy of State Farm. Contestants will be selected from the line waiting to enter around 6:45 a.m., Saturday.
Students MUST have a current UH ID to qualify for student entrance and seating.
DOORS OPEN
For ESPN CollegeGame Day covered by State Farm, the Fertitta Center upper doors off Holman Street open for all fans at 7 a.m. All seating within the arena will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis for the show.
From there, students and fans will be directed into holding areas inside the facility until being allowed to take their seats at 7:30 a.m. (students) and 8 a.m. (general public).
The first 500 UH students with a ticket for Saturday's game will enter through the far-left doors and be directed into a holding area where they will wait to head down the stairs to the Club. The first 400 students out of this group will receive a wristband for the Cage. The last 100 will receive a marked wristband for security to distinguish them for access to the Club.
Overflow students with a ticket will enter through this same entrance, However, after they are scanned they will be directed to the general holding area.
Students without a ticket to Saturday's game will enter through the middle two doors, receive a different wristband for first access to any tickets that become available and be directed into the general holding area.
Non-UH students will enter through the far right doors and be directed to the general holding area.
T-SHIRT GIVEAWAYS
Houston Athletics Marketing staff will pass out 2,000 t-shirts with 500 available in the Club holding area and the remaining 1,500 in the general holding area.
POSTER-MAKING STATIONS
Poster-making stations will be available in the Club holding area and the general public holding area.
UHAA PARTY on the PLAZA | BLOCK PARTY on CULLEN
Once ESPN College Gameday covered by State Farm is finished at 11 a.m., Saturday, Fertitta Center will be cleared for a brief refreshing before doors reopen at Noon, Saturday, for the game.
As they wait, all Houston fans attending ESPN College GameDay covered by State Farm AND the game are invited to attend the University of Houston Alumni Association Party on the Plaza at the Athletics/Alumni Center.
All UH students are invited to the Block Party at Cemo Plaza off Cullen Boulevard. Free pulled pork sandwiches plus Coca-Cola products, including Vitamin Water, will be available while supplies last.
The Spirit of Houston will stop by for music, and inflatables will be available throughout the party.
UHAA will host a virtual pregame show with guests beginning at 11 a.m., Saturday.
PARKING • Parking Map
Fans who have purchased parking passes for games during the 2024-25 season will be able to park in their assigned lots when they arrive for ESPN College GameDay covered by State Farm.
IMPORTANT: Once fans’ parking passes are scanned by attendants at their assigned lots, they will NOT be allowed to reenter at any time if they leave the lot before Saturday’s game.
FREE parking will be available for fans who arrive by 10 a.m., Saturday, in the Blue Lots, located at the intersection of Elgin Street and Cullen Boulevard on the UH campus.
Fans who have not purchased game parking passes may purchase passes in the Blue Lots.
ESPN RULES & REGULATIONS FOR SIGNS
• No offensive, vulgar, inappropriate or solicitation signage will be allowed
• No political or .com, .org, .net signage
• No signs or flags on a stick
• No dry erase boards
ESPN COLLEGE DAY HISTORY
This is the second time that ESPN College GameDay covered by State Farm has broadcast from Fertitta Center. The show first aired from Houston on March 7, 2019, ahead of the Cougars’ game against UCF during the inaugural season of the $60 million facility.
Men’s Basketball isn’t the only Houston sports program to host ESPN College GameDay on the UH campus. During the 2011 season, the show visited Houston Football ahead of the 10th-ranked Cougars’ 37-7 win over SMU inside Robertson Stadium on Nov. 19, 2011.