Michigan State DB's Story to be Told Saturday on 'College Gameday'
In this story:
Michigan State safety Armorion Smith is going to have his story told to the country. Ever since his mother, Gala Gilliam, passed away from cancer last year, Smith has been juggling the responsibilities of being a student-athlete and the legal guardian of several of his siblings.
On Friday evening, ESPN's public relations X account announced that the network would be running a segment during College Gameday. The show starts at 9 a.m. ET, though not necessarily Smith's part, and is in Nashville for No. 15 Missouri at No. 10 Vanderbilt.
Over the last year, @MSU_Football DB @ArmorionS has been balancing the demands of both student-athlete & legal guardian – all to honor the memory of his mother⁰⁰Saturday, @JenLada shares his remarkable story on @CollegeGameDay (9a ET, ESPN) pic.twitter.com/Yk8mLV7bDN
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) October 24, 2025
Smith's Journey
"Basically, I'm like three different persons; like three different people in one day," Smith said back in September. "I've got to be a parent. I've got to be an athlete. I've got to be a student."
He's had to help take care of the younger members of his family throughout the entirety of last season and all of this season. The responsibility naturally went to him since his father is not in his life and Smith is the oldest sibling.
According to Larry Lage of the Associated Press, his mother was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. Smith was a sophomore at Cincinnati at the time. Smith, a native of Detroit, transferred to Michigan State the following season.
Smith has been a significant part of MSU's defense this season. Fellow safety Nikai Martinez has missed five of the Spartans' seven games this year. With Martinez out, Smith has been the first guy to step up. His 326 defensive snaps are the fifth-most on the team, according to Pro Football Focus.
There have been several key moments for Smith during that time on the field. Against Boston College, he made a great play on the ball during the Eagles' two-point conversion attempt during double overtime. MSU converted its own two-point try later, which was the difference in the game. Smith recovered a fumble during that game, as well.
Against Youngstown State, Smith was able to snag his second career interception, his first as a Spartan. During MSU's game against USC, he got his first career forced fumble.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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