'College GameDay' announces celebrity guest picker for Oregon-USC

On Thursday, ESPN announced that Marcus Mariota, Oregon’s 2014 Heisman Trophy winner and current Washington Commanders quarterback, will serve as the celebrity guest picker for this week’s College GameDay broadcast ahead of the Ducks’ pivotal matchup against USC at Autzen Stadium.

Mariota’s college career at Oregon (2011–2014) remains one of the most decorated in program history. He finished with 10,796 passing yards, 105 touchdowns, and only 14 interceptions, while adding 2,237 rushing yards and 29 rushing scores.

In 2014, he became the first Oregon player to win the Heisman Trophy, earning the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Davey O’Brien, and Manning Awards as well.

Mariota led the Ducks to the 2014 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, cementing his place as one of the most influential figures in modern Oregon football.

ESPN’s College GameDay is the network’s flagship pregame show, airing live every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon ET.

Hosted by Rece Davis, the show features analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and Nick Saban, with contributions from reporters Jen Lada, Jess Sims, and insider Pete Thamel.

One of the show’s most anticipated segments is the celebrity guest picker, a tradition dating back to 2004.

Past guests have included athletes, musicians, and cultural figures, each offering predictions on the weekend’s biggest games.

For Oregon, Mariota’s selection follows other Ducks legends like Sabrina Ionescu earlier this season.

Former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. — Former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota coaches for the Green Team as the Oregon Ducks host their annual spring game at Autzen Stadium, in Eugene, Ore. Football Oregon Football Spring Game | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Saturday’s game between No. 7 Oregon (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) and No. 15 USC (8-2, 6-1) carries massive implications for the Big Ten title race and College Football Playoff picture.

Led by quarterback Dante Moore, Oregon boasts the nation’s seventh-ranked scoring offense (39.0 points per game) and enters as a 10.5-point favorite.

The Ducks’ only loss came against No. 2 Indiana, but they remain in contention for a second straight CFP berth.

Under coach Lincoln Riley, USC ranks 10th in scoring offense (38.2 points per game) but has struggled on the road against ranked opponents Illinois and Notre Dame.

A win in Eugene would keep their playoff hopes alive heading into the rivalry finale against UCLA.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS, with Autzen Stadium hosting its 35th GameDay appearance.

As the Ducks and Trojans prepare for a game that could decide their postseason fate, the addition of a Heisman-winning legend ensures that the buildup to kickoff will carry even more weight.

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