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Notre Dame Stadium played host to ESPN College GameDay on Saturday, setting the stage for a primetime clash between the No. 11 Fighting Irish and the top-ranked Miami Hurricanes. Actor and comedian Jason Sudeikis, known for his starring role in "Ted Lasso," served as the celebrity guest picker, joining regular analysts Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee, and Kirk Herbstreit. Although Sudeikis did not attend the university, his grandfather and uncle are both Notre Dame alumni, giving him a deep familiarity with the program's storied tradition.
The panel offered predictions for several marquee Week 10 matchups, including the headliner in South Bend. For Notre Dame versus Miami, Howard backed the Hurricanes, while Saban, Sudeikis, McAfee, and Herbstreit all picked the Fighting Irish.
In other selections, the group unanimously favored Ohio State over Oregon, with Howard, Saban, Sudeikis, McAfee, and Herbstreit all choosing the Buckeyes. The picks were more divided for UCLA at Minnesota: Howard, Saban, and Herbstreit selected the Gophers, while Sudeikis and McAfee went with the Bruins.
Texas A&M at South Carolina produced a clean sweep for the Gamecocks, as every panelist picked South Carolina. For Texas at Missouri, Howard, Saban, and Sudeikis chose the Longhorns, but McAfee and Herbstreit opted for the Tigers.
Kentucky at Tennessee saw Howard, Saban, Sudeikis, and Herbstreit take the Volunteers, with McAfee alone in picking the Wildcats. Georgia at Ole Miss was nearly unanimous for the Bulldogs, though McAfee sided with the Rebels.
Alabama at LSU drew varied responses: Howard, Sudeikis, and McAfee picked the Tigers, Saban chose the Crimson Tide, and Herbstreit abstained. BYU at Utah was unanimous for the Utes except for McAfee, who backed the Cougars.
Key Analysis
The panel's strong preference for Notre Dame over Miami reflects the high stakes of the primetime showdown, though Howard's lone dissent adds intrigue. Sudeikis's presence brought a touch of Hollywood to the broadcast, but his family ties to Notre Dame made his pick particularly meaningful. The splits on games like Texas-Missouri and Alabama-LSU highlight the unpredictability of Week 10, while the unanimous calls on Ohio State and South Carolina underscore the panel's confidence in those favorites.
Originally reported by yahoo.