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Handicapping the guest pickers for College Gameday

Who will it be? I’ve got two names I’m going big on.

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Photo Attribution: USATSI

Photo Attribution: USATSI

One of the best parts of College Gameday these days is who the guys have on as their guest picker. We’ve seen everybody from Bubba Watson to Lolo Jones and they’ll have no shortage of folks to choose from on Saturday in Stillwater.

Here’s a list and the chances I’ll give each one of actually being the guy:

The favorite

Boone Pickens — It’s almost too easy. He’s already there. He’s outspoken as crap (Holder and Burns would be holding hands under a desk in the Classroom Building if they gave Boone a live mic on national television) and he loves this kind of stuff.

I don’t think he’s going to be the guy because I feel like Gameday usually rolls with the athlete in another sport or super-famous entertainer and Boone fits neither bill, to my knowledge.

Odds: 3-1

The other favorites

Matt Holliday — This is my pick. You have the Josh Holliday connection now, I think he has a house here. And he seems like the kind of guy who would be boys with Fowler and Herbs. All of my money here.

Odds: 6-1

Thurman Thomas — This is very much a possibility. I’ve heard he’s going to be in town and him being on Gameday would be a sweet spot. He doesn’t get the run in Stillwater Barry gets and Gameday actually doesn’t pick as many former football stars as you’d probably think but he’d be perfect.

Odds: 8-1

Rickie Fowler — Somebody affiliated with Gameday on Twitter said earlier this week that he wasn’t going to be in town so I doubt it’s him but they could have just been playing possum.

This is his wheelhouse, though I’m not totally sure how much he actually knows about football or OSU football. I’ve never talked to him about it but he seems like the kind of guy who knows the QB, the coach, wears orange on Saturdays, and that’s it.

Odds: 8-1

Hunter Mahan — This is my other big bet. He lives close by, goes to a lot of games, and the Gameday crew had Bubba Watson on earlier this year so you know they aren’t anti-PGA Tour. Where do I get 5-1 odds on “Holliday or Mahan”?

Odds: 10-1

Garth Brooks — I don’t love him here but Gameday does love them a star. He also falls under the “lives close by” category but he’s just not around enough for me to buy in that it will be him. Still, you have to put his odds up there just because of the name.

Odds: 15-1

Johny Hendricks — This is very much in play. We know he’s not doing anything this week and he’s been in the news a ton of late. Plus he has family (Todd Graham alert!) in the area. I could see it.

Odds: 20-1

Barry Sanders — His agent hasn’t said “no” to much of late but this doesn’t really seem like his kind of gig. Though judging from some of the atrocities we’ve seen here maybe the producers don’t really care what “your kind of gig” is.

Odds: 25-1

The “I could see that” group

John Farrell — This would be a sneaky good pick. I have no idea where he lives or if he ever comes back for games but he’s certainly relevant.

Odds: 40-1

Bo Van Pelt — True story: I talked to him at the Crowne Plaza Invitational this year about OSU sports and he started talking about Oklahoma State’s quarterback recruits. You want somebody who actually legitimately knows what’s going on, pick him.

Odds: 40-1

Desmond Mason — I honestly don’t know if he’s a big enough name nationally. He is to us, obviously, but does that play on a national stage? Or does it even matter? I mean we’re talking about a show that’s had Phil Hansen and Ashton Eaton on it this year..

Odds: 50-1

The longshots

Doug Gottlieb — I’ve heard his name a lot but you don’t actually think ESPN is going to bring him on to one of its premier shows after he left for CBS, do you? It would be great for ratings but it’s not happening.

Odds: 100-1

Eddie Sutton — I imagine that phone call going “Hey coach, any interest in picking some games in the 25 degree weather on Saturday morning?” “The hell? I’m tanning that day.”

Odds: 100-1

Charles Howell III — He knows more about Oklahoma State football than everybody ahead of him on this list except for Bo Van Pelt. Not a big enough name though.

Odds: 100-1

Scott Verplank — See Howell III, Charles.

Odds: 100-1

The “so you’re saying there’s a chance” group

Big Country — The national media loves Country and, to be honest, what else is he going to be doing on a Saturday morning in mid-November? He would produce much, much fodder for this website so I’m all for it.

Odds: 200-1

James Marsden — Does he like football? Did he actually attend classes at Oklahoma State or is he just from here? If you could “Clint Chelf” to him, what would the response be?

Odds: 400-1

Tyson Ritter — I’m embarrassed that I’m even putting his name on here but other than Garth he’s one of the biggest musicians to have ever lived here. Negative points for not having, you know, gone to OSU. Actually, there’s no way this is happening, is there?

Odds: 500-1

Brent Parker — Just for LOLs.

Odds: 1,000,000,000,000-1

Here’s a full list of all the past celebrity Gameday guest pickers.

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