Caitlin Clark Returns to Iowa As College GameDay Guest Picker for Ohio State Clash

The Indiana Fever star returns to campus one day after her WNBA season ended, as GameDay visits Iowa City for the first time since 2006.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks on in the first half against the Las Vegas Aces | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark returns to Iowa City on Saturday as the guest picker for ESPN's College GameDay, giving the show a former Hawkeyes star for No. 5 Ohio State at No. 14 Iowa in a key Big Ten clash.

ESPN made it official Friday night. "It's only right to have a Hawkeye legend join College GameDay as guest picker when in Iowa City," the show posted on X. The Fever's season ended one night earlier in Las Vegas.

Caitlin Clark returns to Iowa City

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates a made shot during game two of the first round against the Las Vegas Aces | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Clark played four seasons at Iowa from 2020 to 2024. She left as the all-time leading scorer in Division I history with 3,951 points. She also led the Hawkeyes to two straight national title games, and Iowa retired her No. 22 jersey in February 2025.

The Fever took the Des Moines native No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She's been an All-Star in all three of her pro seasons. This year was her best one yet, as she averaged 22.3 points and 8.3 assists for a Fever team that went 28-16.

The visit also lines up with a big week for her shoe deal. Nike launched the Caitlin 1, her first signature sneaker, on Oct. 1. Dick's Sporting Goods and Nike are running a three-day Caitlin 1 event in Iowa City through Saturday.

Why is GameDay in Iowa?

It's only right to have a Hawkeye legend join College GameDay as guest picker when in Iowa City 🖤💛

See you tomorrow, @CaitlinClark22! pic.twitter.com/htnDis09hX

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 3, 2026

GameDay hasn't been to Iowa City since 2006. Ohio State was the opponent that day too, and the No. 1 Buckeyes won 38-17.

Iowa earned this visit with a 4-0 start, its first since 2021. The Hawkeyes beat Michigan 20-19 on the road last week. It was their first win over a ranked Big Ten team since 2021. That win also helped Iowa climb in our Big Ten power rankings for Week 5.

Ohio State is 3-1. Its only loss came at Texas, where the Buckeyes blew a 20-point lead in the second half. Still, the Buckeyes' last trip to Kinnick Stadium went badly. Iowa beat the then-No. 3 Buckeyes 55-24 in 2017.

Ohio State at Iowa kickoff details

GameDay airs from 9 a.m. to noon ET on the Pentacrest lawn in front of the Old Capitol Building. Host Rece Davis leads a crew with analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee and former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Clark and the crew will make their picks just before the show ends at noon ET.

McAfee usually reveals the guest picker on The Pat McAfee Show. He hosted that show from the Pentacrest set Friday, but the name didn't come out until the GameDay post that night.

Ohio State enters as the higher-ranked team, and Ohio State at Iowa kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.