Who Is Texas Tech's Guest Picker on 'College GameDay'?
Jones AT&T Stadium is set to host its biggest game in over a decade. The No. 8 Texas Tech Red Raiders welcome the No. 7 BYU Cougars to Lubbock, Texas, the site of this week's "College GameDay" ahead of a critical top-10 matchup.
Tech landed at eighth in the initial College Football Playoff rankings after a convincing win over Kansas State, advancing to 8-1 (5-1 in the Big 12). This marks the Red Raiders' best start since 2008, which was the last time they hosted "College GameDay" and the same year they hosted their most recent top-10 showdown.
"Since 2008" has become a common phrase for Texas Tech, a team looking to secure its first College Football Playoff berth and first Big 12 title. First, they will need to beat BYU. The Cougars are undefeated, starting 8-0 (5-0).
Given the stakes and attention, ESPN did not hesitate to get the biggest guest available. The Red Raiders will be represented on "College GameDay" by former Texas Tech star and NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Your @CollegeGameDay guest picker 💪#WreckEm | @PatrickMahomes pic.twitter.com/Mh8qh25yp8
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) November 7, 2025
As the guest picker, Mahomes will join the set alongside regular hosts Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and Nick Saban. It will be an opportunity for fans to see arguably the league's best quarterback share his football knowledge and answer questions from the panel.
Mahomes played at Texas Tech from 2014 to 2016, starting 29 games over three years. He threw for 11,252 with 93 passing touchdowns and 115 total touchdowns — ranking third, third, and second all-time in program history.
He was drafted 10th overall by Kansas City in the 2017 NFL Draft and arguably has been an even better pro. In his second season — his first as a starter — he threw for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns. This won him his first of three regular-season MVPs. More importantly, though, he has won three Super Bowls, earning Super Bowl MVP in each appearance.
Through his first eight seasons, Mahomes threw for 32,352 passing yards and 245 passing touchdowns. Through Week 9 of the 2025 season, he also holds several NFL career marks: passing success rate (52.2%), passing yards per game (286.8), and adjusted net yards per pass attempt (7.48). These exemplify the efficiency that has led him to a 94-27 record as a starter.
While with the Red Raiders, Mahomes also set several national and school milestones. Notably, he set the record for single-game passing yards (734) and total offense (819) against the Oklahoma Sooners on Oct. 22, 2016.
Mahomes will get to watch as current starting quarterback Behren Morton and the Red Raiders look to take down BYU, a team the NFL superstar never played. Morton, a Lubbock native, is in his fifth season with Tech and currently ranks fifth in career passing yards, fewer than 700 yards from filling in one spot behind Mahomes.
As an alumnus, Mahomes has consistently given back to Texas Tech's athletic programs and has been honored by the school several times. He is a regular at football and basketball games, and his appearance during the Chiefs' bye week was a no-brainer.
Adding to the intertwined connection between Mahomes and Texas Tech, the Red Raiders announced a "Too Cold" uniform. It was made possible by a partnership among Mahomes, the school, and Adidas. It is a continuation of the "Gladiator" uniforms they debuted in 2024 from the same partnership.
The Red Raiders will wear their "Too Cold" uniforms on Saturday, Nov. 8, against BYU, as they look to win in style in front of and with the support of a school legend, Mahomes.
Cold front coming. pic.twitter.com/U6zrrQDIj3
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) November 4, 2025
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-43389ae7766a84cbb8a6c33939d17968.jpeg "Jordan Epp")
Jordan Epp is a journalist who graduated from Texas A&M in 2022 and is passionate about telling stories, sharing news, and finding ways to entertain people through the medium of sports. He has formerly worked as a writer and editor at The Battalion and The Eagle, covering football in College Station, Texas, and served as the managing editor for PFSN.
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