The producers of College GameDay are going to have quite a decision to make for its November 21 show. There are several huge games that may affect the College Football Playoff picture — LSU vs. Ole Miss, TCU vs. Oklahoma, Michigan State vs. Ohio State, and most notably, Baylor vs. Oklahoma State.
So, why would they ignore all of those huge showdowns and travel to Virginia Tech, which is 4-5 and taking on North Carolina? Because it will be the last home game for legendary coach Frank Beamer before he retires at the end of the season.
VA Tech has been a staple of College GameDay since Hokie fans came out in a major way when the show came to Blacksburg in 1999 in the midst of their unbeaten regular season behind Michael Vick. Longtime host Chris Fowler acknowledged Beamer and Virginia Tech’s influence on College GameDay‘s longevity and popularity on Twitter this week.
and as I've often said, @CollegeGameDay owes a debt to #Beamer. He got it. & elevated road shows energy. Blacksburg raised the bar late 90s
— Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) November 1, 2015
Now, Virginia Tech fans and alumni are starting the #GameDay4Frank social media campaign to try and get the show to come and celebrate Beamer’s near three-decade long career at Virginia Tech one final time.
All I know is that @CollegeGameDay better make one more trip to @virginia_tech b4 Coach @Beamer_Ball retires! #GameDay4Frank #HokieNation
— André Davis (@1AndreDavis) November 4, 2015
Me if @CollegeGameDay doesn't come for frank's last home game #GAMEDAY4FRANK https://t.co/BGmZxPBSX7
— kelly (@pleasekellme) November 4, 2015
I'd like to solve the puzzle#GameDay4Frank @KirkHerbstreit @CollegeGameDay @VT_Football @cbfowler @espn @patsajak pic.twitter.com/qak0WDSV3g
— Patrick Mason (@PatrickMason22) November 6, 2015
Hey @CollegeGameDay, come say goodbye to your old friend. So few truly great guys out there, lets celebrate one of the best #GameDay4Frank
— Kevin Stone (@HokieKStone) November 4, 2015
Who would like to see this @CollegeGameDay scene come Nov. 21? One last time for @Beamer_Ball #GameDay4Frank pic.twitter.com/iyDoYuxM7e
— HokieVision 🦃 🎥 (@HokieVision) November 4, 2015
I'm in, too: #GameDay4Frank @VT_Football @espn @ESPNCFB @CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/W5LirxySRI
— Mark Warner (@MarkWarner) November 4, 2015
Frank is the the #GOAT 🐐
Keep #GameDay4Frank trending to bring @CollegeGameDay
to @virginia_tech on 11/21! pic.twitter.com/mLNgxRUI0A— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) November 9, 2015
Even Virginia Tech men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams got in on the action with this pretty clever Star Wars spoof.
There’s been an awakening, have you felt it?
The Force is strong with #GameDay4Frank, RETWEET for @CollegeGameDay! pic.twitter.com/Kld4UPGO7E
— Buzz Williams (@TeamCoachBuzz) November 10, 2015
For its part, College GameDay has at least acknowledged VA Tech’s efforts, but no decision has yet been made.
Oh, word? #GameDay4Frank pic.twitter.com/GVsYZhvjs5
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 7, 2015
You could certainly understand both sides of the argument. On one hand, Beamer is a legend, and Virginia Tech was a huge reason why the show became such a hit in the late ’90s, so it would only be fitting for them to honor Beamer in what is to be his last game in front of the hometown fans.
On the other hand, passing up four humongous games with championship implications to visit a team that isn’t even likely to make it to a bowl game goes against the norm for GameDay.
With that said, GameDay is heading to Waco this week, and if they were to go to Oklahoma State on the 21st, they would be covering Baylor games two weeks in a row. The next best option is probably Columbus, but with Michigan State’s loss against Nebraska, that game isn’t quite as sexy anymore.
Great coaches like Beamer don’t retire every day, so the right move is to give BeamerBall one last chance to shine.
