Former Air Force Star Set to Make Appearance on ESPN College Gameday Saturday

Paul Skenes will be back on the college scene this Saturday as this weekend's guest picker.

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

One of the great pitchers the Air Force Falcons has seen will make his return to the college scene this weekend. 

It was announced that star pitcher Paul Skenes will be one of the celebrity guest pickers for ESPN’s College Football Gameday this Saturday when the 11th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide takes on the 15th-ranked LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. 

Skenes transferred from the Academy to LSU for his final season in college baseball. While he was there, he led the Tigers to a National Championship. He picked up multiple major awards, including the 2023 National Player of the Year and the 2023 Dick Howser Trophy winner.

In his two years with Air Force, he was named a First-Team All-American in both 2021 and 2022 and the John Olerud Award winner in 2022. He recorded an 11-4 record and 11 saves over 112.1 innings of work. 

His great performances at both Air Force and LSU earned him the Pittsburgh Pirates' selection first overall in the 2023 MLB draft. The right-hander didn’t waste any time getting to the big leagues, as he is considered the front runner for the National League Rookie of the Year this season after being named the starter in the 2024 MLB All-Star game. 

Skenes will be joined by LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne as guest pickers for the show on Saturday morning. The LSU power couple will join the broadcast in the show’s final hour to place their predictions on the top games across the country. For Dunne she will be the current female athlete to ever be named the guest picker for College Gameday joining NBA star Marcus Smart when he was a member of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in 2013. 

The game on Saturday will take place at 7:30 p.m. EST on ABC. ESPN’s College Gameday begins at 9 a.m. EST