ESPN’s "College GameDay" has long been a Saturday morning staple for college football fans. Each week, viewers tune in to see which matchup the crew will spotlight—and who will join as the celebrity guest picker.
Usually, the guest picker has a connection to the host location or one of the competing schools. Other times, ESPN opts for star power over regional ties. For Week 8’s College GameDay showdown between Ole Miss and Georgia, the network chose the latter route.
Country music star Jelly Roll will serve as the celebrity guest picker this week. That pick may leave some Bulldogs and Rebels fans scratching their heads, wondering what -- if any -- connection Jelly Roll has to either program.
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Here is more on where Jelly Roll is from.
Where is Jelly Roll from?
Jelly Roll was born in Antioch, Tennessee in 1984. Antioch is a suburb of Nashville proper, about 12 miles to the southeast of the country music capital of the world.
Where did Jelly Roll go to college?
Jelly Roll got his GED at the age of 23 while in prison. He went on to earn an Associate's degree in sociology from Volunteer State University.
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Where does Jelly Roll live now?
Jelly Roll splits his time between two properties in Tennessee, both located in the Nashville area. He and his wife, Bunny Xo, own a custom-built mansion in the city, as well as a 500-acre farm in a more rural part of the state. Jelly Roll has said the farm was purchased to honor his late father.
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What is Jelly Roll's real name?
Jelly Roll's legal name is Jason Bradley DeFord. Jelly Roll is a nickname that his mother called him as a kid, and it stuck with him his whole life.
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Who is Jelly Roll's college football team?
Jelly Roll is known to be an avid Tennessee Titans fan, but his college football allegiance is less clear. He’s been spotted on the sidelines at Tennessee Volunteers games, leading many to assume he was a Vols fan. Then he showed up wearing Vanderbilt gear at another game, sparking debate over whether he roots for the Vols, the Commodores, or simply supports all teams from his home state.