College GameDay Brings the Star Power for College Football Playoff Weekend
The College Football Playoff is here, and ESPN’s College GameDay is rolling out the red carpet for a pair of familiar faces who know a thing or two about big-time football. With two marquee matchups on deck this weekend, the pregame show is tapping into its roots - and its flair - to match the stakes on the field.
Friday Night Lights in Norman with Brian Bosworth
GameDay kicks off its Playoff weekend in Norman, Oklahoma, ahead of the heavyweight clash between No. 9 Alabama and No.
8 Oklahoma. And who better to join the panel than a Sooner legend himself?
Brian Bosworth, the two-time All-American linebacker and one of the most iconic figures in Oklahoma football history, will be the celebrity guest picker.
Bosworth, who won back-to-back Butkus Awards in 1985 and ’86, was the face of Oklahoma’s defense during one of its most dominant stretches. His on-field presence was as loud as his personality - brash, fearless, and unapologetically confident.
Though his NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks was cut short due to injury, “The Boz” has remained in the public eye through acting and broadcasting. Now, at 60, he returns to the spotlight in Norman, ready to weigh in on a matchup that pits his alma mater against one of college football’s perennial powerhouses.
Saturday in College Station with Johnny Manziel
If Friday night is all about the past meeting the present in Norman, Saturday brings a different kind of electricity. College Station will host GameDay for Texas A&M’s showdown with No. 10 Miami, and the Aggies’ most famous quarterback of the modern era is back in the building.
Johnny Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner and one of the most dynamic players college football has ever seen, will serve as the guest picker for the noon kickoff. Manziel lit up the SEC with his improvisational brilliance and uncanny playmaking ability, turning Texas A&M into must-watch TV.
While his NFL career didn’t pan out the way many hoped, and he’s been candid about his personal battles since, Manziel remains a magnetic figure in the sport. He previously appeared on GameDay in 2024, and his return to Aggieland adds another layer of intrigue to an already compelling matchup.
The Matchups: What’s at Stake
Let’s talk football.
Friday night’s tilt between Alabama and Oklahoma is as evenly matched as it gets. The Sooners come in at 10-2, riding a four-game win streak and holding the psychological edge after edging the Crimson Tide 23-21 in Tuscaloosa back in November.
Alabama, now 10-3, is looking to rebound from a humbling 28-7 loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m.
ET on ABC/ESPN, and with both teams eyeing a semifinal berth, expect a physical, high-stakes showdown.
Two shows, two guest pickers 👏
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 18, 2025
🏈 Friday in Norman: Sooners legend Brian Bosworth | @GotBoz44
🏈 Saturday in College Station: Aggies legend Johnny Manziel | @JManziel2 pic.twitter.com/bXxK7nAzv6
Saturday’s noon game features a battle between two teams with something to prove. No.
7 Texas A&M is 11-1, but they’re coming off a tough 27-17 loss to in-state rival Texas to close the regular season. Miami, ranked No. 10, enters at 10-2 and riding a four-game win streak of its own.
The Hurricanes have been surging, and they’ll need every bit of that momentum to walk out of College Station with a win. That one also airs on ABC/ESPN.
Elsewhere in the Playoff Picture
The weekend’s other two matchups are just as juicy. At 3:30 p.m.
ET on TNT, No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1) hosts No.
11 Tulane (11-2) in Oxford. It’s the Rebels’ first game since Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU, and the question is whether the team can stay locked in amid the coaching transition.
Then, closing out the evening, No. 5 Oregon (11-1) welcomes No.
12 James Madison (12-1) to Autzen Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on TNT. The Ducks have been one of the most complete teams in the country all season, but James Madison isn’t just happy to be here - they’ve earned their spot and won’t back down.
Final Word
With legends like Bosworth and Manziel joining the party, and four high-stakes matchups on deck, this College Football Playoff weekend is shaping up to be something special. Whether it’s the drama on the field or the star power on the sidelines, college football fans are in for a treat. Buckle up - the road to the national title starts now.