HawkeyeRoundtable asked Hawkeye fans on social media who they would pick to be the guest picker on ESPN's iconic pregame show. Here are their answers.
For the first time in 20 years, ESPN's College GameDay will be broadcasting from Iowa City, Iowa.
The return of the iconic college football pregame show for No. 14 Iowa's (4-0) massive Big Ten home opener against No. 5 Ohio State (3-1) is a long time coming for Hawkeye fans, but now that the drought is over, there's one important question that needs to be answered? Who will ESPN select as Iowa's guest picker for the always-popular prediction segment at the end of the show.
The guest pickers so far this year are: actor Morgan Freeman (Ole Miss), actor/comedian Johnny Knoxville (Tennessee), country music singer Lainey Wilson (LSU), and actor Glen Powell (Texas). That's a star-studded list, but luckily ESPN has plenty of options when it comes to picking a well-known individual associated with Iowa athletics.
But who will ESPN ultimately choose? HawkeyeRoundtable.com asked Hawkeye fans on social media who they would pick if they had the chance, so we complied their answers into two categories - those formerly or currently associated with an Iowa team, and famous people who are notable alumni/fans.
Here we go.
Direct Iowa Hawkeye Association
Ben McCollum: McCollum is fresh off guiding the men's basketball team to the Elite Eight for the first time in nearly four decades, and anticipation for Hawkeye basketball is now as high as its ever been in the 21st century, and the coach certainly has the personality and previous Iowa fan roots (he grew up a diehard Hawkeye fan) to be a star on the stage.
Lisa Bluder: The former women's basketball coach's bubbly personality would be more than perfect for the role, and ESPN has a lot of experience working with her after taking its women's basketball edition of College GameDay to Iowa City twice.
Caitlin Clark: Everyone in America knows the cultural impact Clark had on women's basketball, and her global stardom would be an obvious fit for ESPN. The only problem? She's currently playing in the WNBA playoffs, but has the potential to be available if her Indiana Fever are eliminated on Monday night.
Ettore "Big E" Ewen: Though best known for being a WWE personality, Ewen played football for Iowa in the mid-2000s. He would be a slam-dunk choice because of his electric personality and passion for Hawkeye athletics.
Dan Gable: ESPN isn't big on promoting wrestling, but getting Gable, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and a legendary head coach of the Iowa wrestling program, on the set wouldn't be a bad thing.
Dallas Clark: The former All-American and Super-Bowl-winning tight end is no stranger to representing Iowa on College GameDay: he was the guest picker for the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game between Iowa and Michigan State in Indianapolis (where he spent nine seasons)
Other names: Bob Sanders, Ricky Stanzi, Robert Gallery, and current wrestling coaches Tom and Terry Brands.
Famous Fans/Alumni
Tom Arnold: The ex-husband of Rosanne Barr and has been a lifelong Hawkeyes fan, having grown up just 90 minutes from Iowa City in Ottumwa, Iowa. Arnold attended the University of Iowa in the early 1980s, bid did not graduate. His humor and Hawkeye fandom could make for a fun appearance on set.
Seth Rollins: Most of Rollins' sports fandom is directed toward the Chicago Bears, but he is a Davenport native and would fit perfectly with analyst Pat McAfee due to his WWE association.
Zach Johnson: Though he played golf at Drake, the 2007 Masters champion is a lifelong Hawkeye fan. He would bring both the passion Iowa fans are looking for along with a respected national name for ESPN's broadcast.
Ashton Kutcher: Hawkeye fans are very familiar with Kutcher appearing on GameDay. He was famously the guest picker for the 2021 Cy-Hawk Game at Iowa State and arrived at the stage on the Iowa combine that you'll see parked outside of Kinnick Stadium on game day. He's a Hawkeye through and through, and would be an easy pick for ESPN if it wants a repeat picker.
A kid from the UI Children's Hospital: This was a popular section across both Facebook and X, and it would be a cool touch on an already-special tradition. Would ESPN do this? That's the question. It wouldn't be surprising to see some mention or feature on The Wave at the bare minimum, though.
Looking for a FREE Hawkeyes community?
Don't miss out on our Roundtable community and the latest news! It's completely FREE to join.
Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members in the community section! Download the FREE Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!
Click here to join the fun and potentially win some FREE Hawkeye swag!
HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
