BOULDER, Colorado — Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson made an appearance at the University of Colorado in Boulder Friday morning.
The highest paid actor in show business and one of the most famous people in the world, Johnson appeared on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" Friday on the CU Boulder campus.
Johnson walked across the CU Leeds School of Business lawn toward the television program's set where thousands of students stood watching. Johnson signed autographs as he walked before joining McAfee on ESPN.
Johnson is among a long list of sports media personalities and celebrities descending on Boulder to see new Colorado head football coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders and his Buffaloes as they face rival Colorado State Rams Saturday night.
"You get lucky I think every once in a while if you're part of something that is a game changer and changes the face of something. And in this case, Colorado, Coach Prime, changing the face of college football is incredible," Johnson said on the show.
The 18th-ranked Buffs are 2-0 under their first-year head coach after wins over TCU and Nebraska. With a rebuilt and talented roster, CU is the biggest story in American sports. Kickoff of Saturday's football game is at 8 p.m. at Folsom Field.
"College GameDay," "Big Noon Kickoff," "First Take," and "SportsCenter" are among the programs broadcasting in Boulder this weekend.
College GameDay
ESPN behemoth "College GameDay" announced it will broadcast from the CU campus for the first time since 1996.
The long-running college football pregame show features Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee.
ESPN will set up on the Business Field across from the CU Events Center. The fan pit opens at 5 a.m. Saturday, and "College GameDay" goes on the air from 7 to 10 a.m.
ESPN said it will have T-shirts, gift cards, Buffs gear and ESPN prize packs to give away on Saturday.
Fans planning to attend "College GameDay" can park for the morning in the Regent Drive Garage (Lot 436) or the Euclid Parking Garage (Lot 205). This parking will be free until noon.
Big Noon Kickoff
For the second week in a row, FOX will bring its nationally televised pregame show to Boulder.
"Big Noon Kickoff" — featuring Rob Stone, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Urban Meyer, Mark Ingram II, Chris "Bear" Fallica, Tom Rinaldi, Charles Woodson and special guest Rob Gronkowski — will be back at Farrand Field on the CU campus with the show airing from 8 to 10 a.m.
The fan pit opens at 5 a.m. "Big Noon Kickoff" will also be giving away T-shirts, gift cards, and prizes ahead of the show.
This will be the first time Fox Sports has aired the show from the site of a game the network isn't broadcasting. ESPN airs Saturday's CU-CSU game at 8 p.m.
Fans planning to attend "Big Noon Kickoff" can park for the morning in the Regent Drive Garage (Lot 436) or the Euclid Parking Garage (Lot 205). This parking will be free until noon.
First Take
ESPN will be broadcasting "First Take" live from 8 to 10 a.m. Friday on the Business Field across from the CU Events Center. The show is open to the public.
"First Take" features Denver Broncos Ring of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe and media personality Stephen A. Smith.
Pat McAfee Show
ESPN will broadcast "The Pat McAfee Show" from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday on the Business Field across from the CU Events Center. The show is open to the public.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is among the guests set to appear Friday.
SportsCenter
ESPN will broadcast "SportsCenter" from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday on the Business Field across from the CU Events Center. The show is open to the public.
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