Rece Davis Defends 'College GameDay' Guest Picker Choice for Vanderbilt-Alabama

Theo Von has proven a controversial selection to Crimson Tide fans.

The Vanderbilt adjacency of Theo Von (center) has rankled Alabama fans. / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Comedian Theo Von is, in some respects, the kind of celebrity guest picker College GameDay might grow in a lab—an irreverent fan of the game with an enormous social following and name recognition in the South and beyond.

Having picked games before the 2023 SEC title game between Alabama and Georgia, he'll be back for round two Saturday as the Crimson Tide host Vanderbilt. However, there's a catch that has left Alabama fans suspicious—he has considerable ties to the Commodores.

Von, a Nashville resident, lives in ex-Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason's house and seems to have befriended star Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia. On Friday, College GameDay host (and Crimson Tide grad) Rece Davis defended Von to Colin Gay of the Tuscaloosa News.

"Have you checked out his social media following?" Davis asked.

That would be 8.5 million on Instagram alone, but to Davis Von's appeal doesn't end there.

"He’s hilarious, he’s been on the show before,” Davis continued. “I mean, I understand that schools like to have their legends. And we do that a lot... When you have someone who sort of transcends the game and kind of expands your reach, and he’s also awesome like Theo Von, I mean, Theo Von’s like an easy yes.”

Will Von pander to the Tuscaloosa crowd, or pick out of fealty to Pavia? College GameDay's considerable value to the Walt Disney Company is counting on the fact that fans won't have to wait long to find out.

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