Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

'College GameDay' Announces Celebrity Guest Picker for Ohio State-Tennessee

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Andrew McCarty | Last updated Dec 20, 2024 12:49 PM ET

In just a few hours the College Football Playoff will kick off from Notre Dame Stadium as the Fighting Irish host the Indiana Hoosiers in a first of its kind home playoff game.

ESPN's "College GameDay" is set to kick off at 4:00 p.m. ET with a four-hour show ahead of the matchup. Three more first-round playoff games will come on Saturday following yet another "College GameDay" show, this time broadcasting live from Ohio Stadium ahead of a showdown between Big Ten power Ohio State and SEC blue blood Tennessee.

Before the pregame show kicks off, ESPN announced the guest picker for Saturday's show.

Former Ohio State star linebacker A.J. Hawk will be back on the broadcast as the guest picker for the Saturday morning show, ESPN announced on Friday afternoon.

It was a subtle announcement snuck into the details of the "GameDay" shows over the course of Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

@CollegeGameDay kicks off the #CFBPlayoff First Round with TWO shows this week

Fri | 3:30p ET | ESPN
Live from @NotreDame
️ Guest picker ➡️ @Shanemgillis

Sat | 9a ET | ESPN
Live from @OhioState
Guest picker ➡️ @OfficialAJHawk

Details: https://t.co/wAJXOvhmrH pic.twitter.com/IqrmHhNPI3
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) December 20, 2024

Here's what ESPN said of Hawk:

Buckeyes great A.J. Hawk of The Pat McAfee Show makes a return to the GameDay desk as celebrity guest picker for the First Round show in Columbus. The former OSU linebacker and National Champion, as well as NFL Super Bowl champion, served as guest picker during a 2022 visit to Ohio State.

Ohio State enters the game as the slight favorite, playing in front of its home crowd. Most expect Tennessee's defensive line to give the Buckeyes fits as head coach Ryan Day attempts to improve his 2-4 record in postseason play.

The winner of Saturday night's game will face off against No. 1 Oregon.

Ohio State and Tennessee kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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