Although college basketball season is still months away, ESPN already put together its schedule for College GameDay (the hoops edition). Because TV arrangements are determined well in advance of the season and College GameDay always features a primetime game, their traveling schedule is predetermined rather than changed up from week to week like the football version of the show. As a result, ESPN picks high-profile games and intriguing matchups for College GameDay based only on what they expect to happen, and needless to say, they expect big things out of Michigan State.
The Spartans are on College GameDay's schedule twice in 2011. The first game will feature MSU as the away team (just like they were when the show went to Illinois last season) against Purdue on Jan. 22. It is College GameDay's second stop of the season and could very well be a matchup between two of the top five teams in the country.
The second College GameDay show involving Michigan State will be at the Breslin Center in East Lansing on Feb. 19. Illinois will be in town that day and College GameDay will be making its first trip to MSU since 2007.
For a look at the full College GameDay schedule, click here. After the jump, you can check out a breakdown of all the times MSU has been involved in the basketball version of College GameDay.
2007
Jan. 27 - Michigan State at Ohio State
Feb. 24 - Indiana at Michigan State
2008
Feb. 16 - Michigan State at Indiana
2010
Feb. 6 - Michigan State at Illinois
2011
Jan. 22 - Michigan State at Purdue
Feb. 19 - Illinois at Michigan State