ESPN College GameDay has announced a former Heisman Trophy recipient will serve as the guest picker.

Jeff Hauser

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ESPN College GameDay names former Heisman Trophy winner as guest picker image

TL;DR

  • Marcus Mariota, former Oregon QB and Heisman winner, will be College GameDay's guest picker.
  • He joins the show this Saturday for the No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 15 USC game in Eugene.
  • Mariota, a revered Oregon athlete, led the Ducks to the first College Football Playoff.
  • This appearance follows a trend of NFL players being featured as guest pickers.

ESPN's College GameDay is heading back to Eugene, enlisting one of Oregon's most recognizable personalities as its next guest picker. 

On Thursday, the network revealed that Marcus Mariota, the former star quarterback for The Ducks and the 2014 Heisman Trophy recipient, is scheduled to appear on the show this Saturday when No. 7 Oregon faces off against No. 15 USC in a crucial late-season game.

Mariota has joined the Washington Commanders, taking over as the interim starting quarterback this autumn while rookie Jayden Daniels is sidelined with an injury.

Even with his NFL commitments, the ex-Oregon star is heading back to Eugene, a place where he's still considered one of the most revered athletes ever to attend the school. Furthermore, he's the sole Oregon player to have received college football's highest award. 

This appearance follows a recent trend of prominent NFL players being featured on GameDay. The previous week, Aaron Donald was the guest picker in Pittsburgh, after Patrick Mahomes had appeared at Texas Tech and Alex Smith at Utah. 

In 2014, Mariota guided Oregon to the first-ever College Football Playoff. He bested Florida State and Jameis Winston in the semifinals, subsequently losing to Ohio State in the championship game. The Tennessee Titans chose him as the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and he's since accepted his status as a league journeyman. 

This will be Mariota's first guest-picker appearance on the iconic pregame show.

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Editorial Team