Former Georgia Star To Be Celebrity Guest Picker For Ole Miss Rebels vs. Bulldogs Matchup
While Ole Miss football will take center stage Saturday night against Georgia, ESPN’s College GameDay is having an Athens favorite take the actual stage during pregame.
Former Georgia defensive lineman Nolan Smith will serve as the celebrity guest picker on Saturday in Athens. The rookie is currently on a bye week for the Philadelphia Eagles following their win over the Dallas Cowboys.
"I’m not a celebrity, but I will be your guest picker at 11:30 [a.m.] on Saturday, and you know who I’m rooting for,” Smith posted in a video to his Instagram. “Come watch me talk trash on the stage and I will be back in Athens for the first time in a long time. Go Dawgs and the Philly Dawgs coming at you.”
A former top-ranked recruit, Smith played at Georgia from 2019-22. He finished his Bulldog career with 114 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks and was a two-time national champion.
Smith was selected by the Eagles 31st overall in April's draft, becoming one of six former Bulldogs on the roster for the NFC East franchise. In nine games, Smith has recorded seven tackles and a sack.
Ole Miss Rebels Tre Harris scores a touchdown against Texas A&M at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Carleigh Harbin-The Grove Report
No. 2 Georgia (9-0, 6-0 SEC) leads the all-time series against No. 9 Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1) 32-12-1, dating back to 1940. This will be the first matchup between the two programs since 2016, which was a 45-14 win for the Rebels.
The 2016 game was later vacated due to NCAA violations for the Rebels.
With a win, Georgia will clinch the SEC East and a spot in the conference title game next month in Atlanta. Ole Miss, which survived a 38-35 scare against Texas A&M, must win or have Alabama lose to Kentucky in Lexington to keep its SEC West hopes alive heading into Week 12.
Alabama can clinch the division title with a victory over the Wildcats or a Rebels' loss in Athens. The Crimson Tide hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Ole Miss thanks to a 24-10 victory in Week 4.
Kickoff from Sanford Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
