ESPN Reveals Exciting Guest Picker for College GameDay at Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame Showdown

Notre Dame and Texas A&M square off for first time since 2012 Heisman Trophy presentation

Nick Shepkowski | Aug 29, 2024

Dec 8, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel (left) laughs with Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o during a press conference before the announcement of the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner at the Marriott Marquis in downtown New York City. / Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

College football returns in full as a weekend full of games kicks off Thursday night before a handful more on Friday and the first full Saturday of the fall this weekend.

As always, millions will be checking out ESPN's College Gameday on Saturday morning as it will again feature Notre Dame, this time as the guest of Texas A&M in the Week 1 top 20 battle.

With College Gameday there for the showdown, that means a guest picker will be in attendance as well.

It was announced on Thursday that the only living Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M will be that guest picker.

Johnny Manziel.

We are fired up to have @JManziel2 as our Week 1 guest picker in College Station‼️ pic.twitter.com/BO2NmlHnga
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) August 29, 2024

Outside of playing each other in the Cotton Bowl three times from the 1987 seasons through 1993, Notre Dame and Texas A&M don't exactly have a long history together.

Part of that history will be on display during College Gameday however as Johnny Manziel of course beat out Manti Te'o for the Heisman Trophy that season.

Manziel won the award for certainly being as exciting of player there was that year and by leading a Texas A&M upset of Alabama. If we're being honest though, his performances against Florida (47 combined rushes and passes for 233 yards, 4.9 yards per play, one rushing touchdown in 20-17 loss) and LSU (29-56 passing with three interceptions and no touchdowns in 24-19 loss) should have counted just the same.

What I'm really trying to say is that if Johnny Manziel is the changed man his Netflix documentary led us to believe he is, then he'll do the right thing and hand the 2012 Heisman Trophy to the more deserving player from that year.

Dec 8, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Manti Te'o poses for a photo with the Heisman Trophy during a press conference before the announcement of the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner at the Marriott Marquis in downtown New York City. / Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

I'm of course kidding.

Sorta.