ESPN Just Got Fooled by a Big 12 Player’s Name

During a recent College GameDay broadcast, ESPN did a light-hearted segment inviting its crew to guess which of five unusual-sounding player names was fake.

The lineup included Nitro Tuggle, Memorable Factor, Indiana Jones, Turbo Richard, and Kansas State’s own Cody Stufflebean. Analysts, including Kirk Herbstreit, quickly pointed at Stufflebean as the fake one. Spoiler alert: he is very much real.

Of course, the humorous reveal that all five names are genuine brought smiles across the nation, but for Wildcats fans, it hits differently. The name Stufflebean stands out not just because it sounds legendary, but because the man behind it is a bona fide Kansas State product.

The comedic shakeup on the GameDay set also offers a subtle reminder of how perception shapes narratives. If insiders and analysts can mistake a real name for a joke, just imagine how opponents studying tape might overlook a player like Stufflebean, unintentionally underestimating that corner of the defense.

More entertaining than analytical, the bit still shines light on how visible the Big 12 is on national stages, whether GameDay is poking fun or previewing players by name. Stufflebean and his peers are keeping conference tradition alive in ways viewers don’t always notice, reminding us that sometimes the most memorable plays start with the smallest surprises.