ESPNâs âCollege GameDayâ made a notable, late change ahead of Saturdayâs College Football Playoff matchup between No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso is now listed as the showâs guest picker, replacing former Aggies quarterback Johnny Manziel, who had been expected to fill the role. ESPN has not publicly shared a reason for the swap, and Manziel had not publicly addressed it as of Saturday morning.Â
The timing adds extra intrigue because the game is a high-leverage first-round CFP spot: Miami vs. Texas A&M kicks at 12 p.m. ET from Kyle Field on ABC/ESPN, with the winner advancing to the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31 to face Ohio State.
Alex Caruso Steps In After Johnny Manziel Is Removed From the Guest Picker Spot
Early Saturday, a âCollege GameDayâ broadcast graphic indicated Caruso as the guest picker for the Aggiesâ CFP game, a change that quickly caught fire online because Manziel was the original name attached to the segment.
Multiple outlets covering the show noted the same thing: no explanation from ESPN, and no immediate public comment from Manziel about why heâs no longer in the role.Â
For Texas A&M fans, itâs a surprising twist because Manziel is one of the biggest stars in program history. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2012, and his Texas A&M run remains a defining chapter of the schoolâs modern football brand. Caruso, while a big name in his own right and an NBA champion, left fans puzzled why a basketball player replaced one of the most iconic football players in program history on the broadcast.Â
What the Swap Means for Texas A&M Fans and the GameDay Spotlight
Even without Manziel, Caruso isnât a random fill-in. Heâs an Aggies alum and a College Station native, and he has turned into a major pro success story after going undrafted.
Caruso won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and later won a second championship with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025.
That background matters for the âGameDayâ vibe: the guest picker slot is part football analysis, part crowd theater. Manziel would have brought the âJohnny Footballâ nostalgia and controversy buzz; Caruso brings a different kind of energy, local ties, and the credibility of a current star on a winning NBA team.
The bigger point: the show now has a new face representing Texas A&M right as the Aggies try to capitalize on a rare national stage moment.
Kickoff Time, TV Info and CFP Stakes for Texas A&M vs Miami
Hereâs the basic setup, because itâs part of why this guest-picker change is drawing so much attention:
- Matchup: No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M
- When: Saturday, 12 p.m. ET
- Where: Kyle Field (College Station, Texas)
- TV/Stream: ABC/ESPN
And the stakes are straightforward: itâs win-or-go-home. Texas A&M and Miami are playing for a spot in the next round, with the bracket path leading to a Dec. 31 Cotton Bowl date against Ohio State for the winner. New York Post+1
If ESPN or Manziel provides an explanation for the switch later Saturday, that becomes the obvious next layer of this story, especially with how heavily the CFP spotlight magnifies any last-minute change tied to a marquee name.
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