Dawn Staley will serve as ‘College GameDay’ guest picker on Saturday

Philadelphia’s own Dawn Staley will be the guest picker on ESPN’s College GameDay on Saturday ahead of South Carolina’s matchup with LSU in Columbia, S.C.

Staley, the Gamecocks’ women’s basketball coach, won her third national championship in April, leading South Carolina to an undefeated season. Now, she’s trying to bring her good energy to Shane Beamer and South Carolina’s football Gamecocks, who come into their matchup with LSU at 2-0. LSU is 1-1.

The three-hour show, which airs live from a college campus every Saturday ahead of the football slate, features Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, and Desmond Howard and has added legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban for 2024.

» READ MORE: Joe Biden honors Dawn Staley and the South Carolina women’s basketball national champions

“What’s up, Gamecock fans?” Staley said in a video posted to X. “I heard you on social media asking me to be the guest picker on College GameDay. You know what? When you speak, people listen. I want to thank you for choosing me to be the guest picker on College GameDay.”

Staley won’t be the first person with Philadelphia connections to make her picks across the college football slate. The city has hosted College GameDay six times: once in 2015 for Temple vs. Notre Dame, with the Philly Phanatic as guest picker; once in 2002 for Penn vs. Harvard; and four times for Army vs. Navy, most recently in 2019.

Former 76er Charles Barkley served as the guest picker for two of those Army-Navy matchups. In fact, Barkley holds the record for the most appearances as guest picker, having guest-starred on the show six times — he even was the first-ever guest picker.

During Bryce Harper’s final season with the Nationals in 2018, he served as guest picker for Ohio State vs. Michigan at Ohio Stadium, since his wife is a former Ohio State soccer player. Eagles edge rusher Nolan Smith made picks for Georgia vs. Ole Miss in 2023.

» READ MORE: During its bye week, No. 8 Penn State is working to fix two facets: Tackling and technology

Saquon Barkley appeared for Penn State’s “White Out” matchup against Auburn in 2021. Former Phillie Jonathan Papelbon made picks in 2014 when GameDay came to Mississippi State, his alma mater. Philly native Matt Ryan made picks in 2012 at the SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama in Atlanta during his tenure with the Falcons. South Jersey native Carl Lewis appeared on the show to make picks at his alma mater, Houston, in 2011.

The two previous guest pickers for South Carolina home games were country singers Kenny Chesney and Darius Rucker, who has appeared twice.