Johnny Manziel a No-Show on College GameDay, Alex Caruso Steps In as Surprise Guest Picker
Saturday’s College GameDay from College Station had all the makings of a marquee broadcast. With No.
7 Texas A&M hosting No. 10 Miami and the College Football Playoff tripleheader on deck, the stage was set for a high-energy show.
Adding to the anticipation was the Thursday announcement that former Heisman Trophy winner and Aggie legend Johnny Manziel would return to the spotlight as the show’s celebrity guest picker.
But when the picks segment rolled around, Manziel was nowhere to be found.
Instead, fans were greeted by a different kind of Aggie alum-NBA champion and current Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso. Caruso took the stage alongside the GameDay crew to break down the day’s biggest matchups, stepping into the guest picker role with poise. The surprise switch, however, came with zero explanation on-air, leaving viewers puzzled and social media buzzing.
The change wasn’t just a last-minute decision behind the scenes-it also left a digital trail. Earlier in the week, College GameDay’s official X (formerly Twitter) account had posted a graphic promoting both Manziel and Brian Bosworth as the weekend’s celebrity guest pickers.
That post has since been deleted. Manziel was also named in an ESPN press release hyping up the network’s coverage of the CFP weekend, adding to the confusion.
Naturally, fans took to X to voice their questions and theories.
“College Gameday booked Johnny Manziel as the guest picker knowing he’d be in Miami the night before. That mistake is on ESPN,” one user wrote, pointing to potential scheduling conflicts.
Others were simply perplexed:
“What happened to Johnny Manziel? He was supposed to be today’s Guest Picker.”
“Wait wasn’t Johnny Manziel supposed to be the celebrity guest picker??”
“This guest picker doesn’t look like Johnny Manziel.”
The lack of clarity only fueled more speculation. While Caruso’s appearance was well-received-especially by Aggie fans familiar with his standout college career-many viewers were still left wondering what exactly led to the last-minute pivot.
As of now, there’s been no official word from ESPN or Manziel regarding the change. Whether it was a travel issue, a scheduling snag, or something else entirely, the mystery remains.
What we do know is this: Caruso handled the spotlight with ease, and College GameDay rolled on without missing a beat. But for a show that thrives on hype and tradition, the sudden absence of one of college football’s most electric (and polarizing) figures didn’t go unnoticed.