ESPN College GameDay will be back in Norman this week for the Oklahoma Sooners' massive Week 2 matchup against the Michigan Wolverines.
The Sooners will host the Wolverines at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday for the primetime slot on ABC, but hours before kickoff, Sooner Nation will already be tuned into ESPN.
The show will start a new era for College GameDay as the first without legend Lee Corso part of the weekly cast. Corso's headgear pick was a staple on Saturdays in the fall, and although we don't know what the end of College GameDay will look like now, we assume there will at least still be guest pickers with relation to the home team.
As a new era of College GameDay begins in Norman, these are the best possibilities to be up there making picks as the celebrity guest.
Mark Daigneault
The Thunder is Oklahoma's team, and the state is more proud than ever of the NBA champions. Not only is it Oklahoma's only pro sports team, but there is also OU DNA running throughout Paycom Center, including owner Clay Bennett, who is an OU alum. The love for the Thunder and the ties to the Sooners could mean we see someone from the organization up on stage.
Mark Daigneault is the leader of the Thunder as head coach, and although he graduated from Connecticut, Daigneault now has strong ties to the Sooners. Daigneault's wife, Ashley Kerr, is an assistant coach for OU women's gymnastics, which just won a title of its own.
Chet Holmgren / Jalen Williams
If it's not the coach representing the Thunder, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are the most likely player candidates.
Neither come from colleges with football programs to have prior ties, as Holmgren played at Gonzaga and Williams at UC Santa Clara. Both have also shown interest in OU football before after attending last season's Oklahoma-Tennessee game, which also happened to be the last time College GameDay was in Norman.
OKC Thunder big man Chet Holmgren in attendance for the #Sooners matchup with the Houston Cougars. Cason Wallace and Trae Young are also on the sidelines. pic.twitter.com/4FXAHp5Ibh
— Randall Sweet (@RandallSweet5) September 8, 2024
Bob Stoops
Bob Stoops always seems like the easiest answer as a legendary coach and popular media figure. He longer has obligations with FOX, so he should be available to get up on that desk. And he certainly knows ball to make those picks.
Trae Young
If it's not a Thunder player, then it's the Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young, who played for the Sooners before becoming an NBA All-Star. From Norman, Young is still frequently in the area, especially in the offseason, so it shouldn't be hard to get him back on campus. Young has also increased his ties to the Sooners after accepting a role as assistant general manager for men's basketball.
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