Sometimes, ESPN’s College GameDay‘s celebrity guest pickers don’t do a great job or entirely unmemorable.
Stephen A. Smith, of course, was anything but, and he stole the show at the end while making his picks for Saturday’s games.
For Week 9 of the college football season, GameDay visited Deion Sanders and Jackson State for the first time ahead of the Tigers’ rivalry matchup against Southern on Saturday in Jackson, Mississippi. It’s the fourth time the show has traveled to an HBCU and first since last year’s North Carolina Central-Alcorn State game.
It’s hardly surprising Smith was so good on GameDay, and when it came time to share his pick for the marquee game, he didn’t disappoint, delivering an epic pick for Jackson State as 18-point favorites over the Jaguars.
.@stephenasmith has his pick and it's Jackson State, BIG 😤 pic.twitter.com/MPOoSNXZcf
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 29, 2022
Stephen A. said galvanizing the crowd behind him:
“I didn’t fly down here this morning to watch my brother, Prime Time, lose a game. Jackson State went eight consecutive years losing to Southern before they broke that streak last year, and they beat them. They’re gonna do it again! Jackson State big time, today! They take them out! That’s why I’m here! That’s why I’m here!”
Smith also shared a special moment with Sanders and showed his love for HBCUs as a Winston-Salem State grad:
.@stephenasmith shows love to @DeionSanders for everything he's done for HBCUs 🗣 pic.twitter.com/oypk53SW6t
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 29, 2022
"As far as I'm concerned, if I hadn't attended an HBCU, I wouldn't be where I am today."
—@stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/k8PWShYU0X
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 29, 2022
Update: Stephen A. Smith was spot-on, as Jackson State won, 35-0.
Feature image courtesy of ESPN.
