The classic college football show will make its return to Tennessee for the first time since the Vols knocked off Alabama 52-49 three years ago in an iconic game. With Tennessee set to host Georgia on Saturday, the top-25 matchup was one of the most likely candidates for GameDay alongside Florida vs LSU.
With the show’s announcement also came immediate speculation as to who the guest picker for the top-tier matchup will be. During the show ahead of the Alabama win, school legend Peyton Manning and WWE star Bianca Belair were brought onto the show to make the pick.
This time around, however, the GameDay crew will have a host of potential options for a guest picker.
On campus, head baseball coach Tony Vitello would be a possibility, as his open support of the athletic department and teams is widely known around campus, and with a national championship under his belt, Vitello would be a marquee guest for the GameDay cast.
Head basketball coach Rick Barnes would also be an option after securing a lifetime contract from the program. Like Vitello, Barnes has become beloved on campus for his success and is known for his storytelling.
Off campus, GameDay could turn to top music stars Dolly Parton or Morgan Wallen for Saturday morning. The two have become synonymous with the university and its athletics programs, in particular the football team. Wallen’s “The Way I Talk” took over as Tennessee’s fourth quarter song, while Parton even performed at Neyland Stadium briefly in 2023.
Of course, the hosts could always invite Manning back to the show as well, as the fan favorite quarterback alumnus has returned to his alma mater as a professor of practice and even recently donated $4 million to the university’s College of Communications and Information.
Another viable guest picker option would be Lady Vols basketball legend and three-time national champion Candace Parker as well. Parker helped the Lady Vols to their last two championships in 2007 and 2008, and has also gotten more involved with the university as of late.
On the field, the Week 3 clash will be the first true test of strength for both the Vols and Bulldogs, with both teams coming in undefeated through the first two games of the season.
Coming off a 72-17 win over ETSU and setting the school record for points in a game, Tennessee has several question marks heading into the GameDay matchup, highlighted by its defensive line and the status of true freshman right tackle David Sanders Jr.
On the other hand, Georgia also has question marks entering the matchup, with the Bulldogs’ Roderick Robinson II and Malachi Toliver questionable coming off a 28-6 win in Athens over Austin Peay last week. Saturday’s game will also mark the first true road test for quarterback Gunnar Stockton.
College GameDay begins at 9 a.m. ET, running until noon, from the set outside Ayres Hall. Tennessee and Georgia follow with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff in Neyland Stadium.
