Michael Phelps announced as ‘College Gameday’ guest picker for Week 2

ESPN’s College Gameday will head to Ann Arbor, Michigan for perhaps the highest-profile game of the season thus far. And ESPN has matched the game’s hype with an equally high-profile name as the celebrity guest picker for the show.

The matchup between the No. 10 ranked Michigan Wolverines and the No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns is filled with storylines that stem from last year’s College Football Playoff. Both teams made it into the CFP, but Texas ultimately fell short of a National Championship matchup against Michigan in a Sugar Bowl loss to Washington.

Even though both teams look very different from last season, Texas will ultimately get the chance to prove themselves against the defending National Champions and see how a potential matchup last season may have looked.

But before the game, the College Gameday cast will profile the matchup along with the remaining games on the Week 2 slate. Olympic legend and Michigan alum Michael Phelps will join the cast as the guest picker on the show.

“What’s up y’all,” said Phelps in a video shared on the College Gameday social media page. “I am coming to tell you that I am going to be on College Gameday for the very first time. Super pumped to be with the crew. Can’t wait to pick some games. Have some fun, have some laughs. But most importantly, cheer on big blue. Come on y’all, let’s get the Big House loud and rowdy. We welcome the Texas Longhorns on Saturday. I’ve got one thing to say. Let’s go blue!”

Phelps attended the University of Michigan to train under then-swimming coach Bob Bowman, who had coached him since 11 years old. He then served as an assistant coach of the Michigan swimming team under Bowman until Bowman left the program after the 2008 Summer Olympics.

It’s a stark difference from last week’s guest picker. Former Texas A&M star Johnny Manziel naturally brought a ton of buzz to College Station since he is perhaps the most recognizable figure in Texas A&M football in recent memory.

However, what Phelps perhaps lacks in terms of experience talking football, he makes up in experience on camera, as he served on NBC’s coverage of the Olympics this summer.

[College Gameday on X]