College GameDay’s picks segment is always one of the best parts of the show, because sometimes you get surprising support for one team that wasn’t expected.
That happened on Saturday, when three of the five GameDay pickers chose No. 16 Iowa to upset No. 2 Michigan despite the Hawkeyes entering the game as 22-point underdogs.
Pat McAfee, Lee Corso and celebrity guest picker and comedian Theo Von all stood behind Iowa, while Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit chose Michigan.
McAfee and Corso also picked Iowa in the show’s “SuperDog” segment, where the analysts pick one upset per show, getting more points for bigger upsets. By picking Iowa, both analysts got the opportunity for massive gains in their standings.
McAfee and Corso both stuck with Iowa on the main picks segment, however, and McAfee tried to give a lucid explanation for picking the Hawkeyes.
“The last three times Iowa has been a 20-plus point underdog, they’ve won two of them outright,” McAfee said. “Another one happens tonight for Ty Schmit and the Hawkeyes.”
Corso, meanwhile, provided a brief reasoning, referring back to the “SuperDog” segment.
“Iowa was my ‘SuperDog,’ so I’ve got to go with them,” he said.
College GameDay saw Pat McAfee, Lee Corso, and guest picker Theo Von all choose Iowa over Michigan. McAfee said "That's my super dog. 22 point dogs. The last three times Iowa has been a 20-point-plus underdog, they've won two of them outright. Another one happens tonight." pic.twitter.com/qF5CnAXzxP
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 2, 2023
Finally there was Von, who picked the upset despite acknowledging Iowa’s struggles offensively. The comedian clearly was having fun on the desk, even suggesting that former Iowa tight end George Kittle should donate plasma to help try to boost the offense.
McAfee, who was first in the pecking order to make his selection, clearly was surprised when he wasn’t the only one to pick Iowa.
“I did not expect this,” McAfee said after Von made his pick.
After those three finished, Herbstreit was adamant that picking against Michigan was the wrong decision.
“They’re not going to lose,” he said. “It’s going to be close early because of the sloppiness of it, but Michigan, way too many athletes. This team, since they lost to TCU, has been on a mission.”
While fans obviously noticed what turned out to be an unexpected graphic, it was host Rece Davis who trolled his colleagues first.
“Let me tell you, those three in the middle, that is not happening,” Davis said.
The Wolverines (12–0) and Hawkeyes (10–2) are scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. ET Saturday in Indianapolis.
