COLUMBUS — ESPN is sending College GameDay to Columbus for Saturday’s battle between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Indiana.
Making the trip to a matchup between two of the best teams in the college football was likely an easy decision for College GameDay.
Now, a tougher choice awaits. Who will be the celebrity guest picker?
ESPN has a variety of routes it can take.
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It could pursue a former Ohio State player now in the NFL.
Justin Fields, a backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers whose team plays on Thursday in Cleveland, is an option. Wide receivers Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, who are both on a bye, could also be available.
ESPN could pursue a non-athlete with connections to OSU.
That brings Columbus natives such as Olympic gymnast Simone Biles or restaurateur Guy Fieri into the conversation.
We asked Subtext subscribers on the cleveland.com Ohio State channel who they’d like to see as the guest picker. Here are some options they presented.
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Former Ohio State football players
Justin Fields
Fields spent two seasons (2019-2020) as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. He went 20-2 with 5,373 passing yards.
Jim Tressel
Tressel spent 10 seasons as Ohio State’s coach, highlighted by the 2002 campaign in which he led the Buckeyes to a national championship.
A.J. Hawk
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Hawk is a former Ohio State linebacker (2002-2005). He has a connection to ESPN as a co-host on the Pat McAfee Show. McAfee is among the panelists on College GameDay.
Garrett Wilson and/or Chris Olave
Wilson played for the Buckeyes (2019-2021) before he was taken by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Jets are off this week.
The Saints, Olave’s team, are also off — giving ESPN and option to bring both on the show. In a 2020 win against Indiana, Olave and Wilson combined for 270 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave played together at Ohio State before pursuing the NFL.AP
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Archie Griffin
The Buckeyes celebrated the 50th anniversary of Griffin’s first Heisman by unveiling a statue outside of Ohio Stadium in August. He’s the only two-time Heisman winner.
Cris Carter
OSU receiver Jeremiah Smith has spent all season breaking Carter’s freshman receiving records. The former Buckeye also spent time working at ESPN on Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown.
Cam Heyward
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Like Fields, Heyward is a former Buckeye now with the Steelers. Pittsburgh plays at Cleveland on Thursday, giving Heyward an uncommon Saturday off in November.
Orlando Pace
Pace was a two-time unanimous All-American during his time at Ohio State (1994-1996). The former offensive tackle was a Heisman finalist in 1996.
Braxton Miller
Miller, a former Ohio State quarterback (2011-2015), was twice named the Big Ten’s most valuable player.
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Cardale Jones
Jones was the third-string quarterback for Ohio State entering the 2014 season with Miller as the starter. However, injuries to Miller and J.T. Barrett forced Jones into the starting role. He helped lead the Buckeyes to a national title.
Cardale Jones helped lead Ohio State football to a national title in 2014.AP
Craig Krenzel
Krenzel was the starting quarterback for Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team.
Maurice Clarett
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Clarett was also part of the Ohio State team in 2002, delivering one of the best freshman seasons in program history. The running back has been a fixture around the Buckeyes this season.
Celebrities with connections to Ohio or Ohio State
JD Vance
Vance was elected earlier this month to serve as the next Vice President alongside Donald Trump. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Ohio State.
Simone Biles
Biles has collected seven Olympic gold medals in her decorated career. Her football fandom is evident too as she’s married to Bears safety Jonathan Owens.
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Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles was born in Columbus, Ohio.cleveland.com
Guy Fieri
Fieri is a famous restaurateur known for his shows on Food Network. He was born in Columbus in 1968.
Jason Day
Day, a professional golfer, won the PGA Championship in 2015. He was born in Australia but lives in Westerville, Ohio.
Bryce Harper
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Harper, a star for the Philadelphia Phillies, is from Nevada and didn’t attend Ohio State. However, his wife played soccer for the Buckeyes.
J.K. Simmons
Simmons spent much of his childhood living in Worthington, Ohio. The actor is known for his role in various films, including, “Whiplash” which earned him an Oscar in 2014.—
R.L. Stine
Stines is the writer of the novel series, “Goosebumps.” He was born in Columbus and attended Ohio State.
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Greg Oden
Oden is a native of Indiana who attended Ohio State before becoming the top pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.
Greg Oden played basketball at Ohio State for one season before becoming the top pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.ASSOCIATED PRESS
Buster Douglas
Douglas is a decorated former heavyweight boxer. He was born in Columbus.
Matt Rife
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Rife is a comedian and actor who was born in North Lewisburg, Ohio.
Graham Rahal and/or Bobby Rahal
The Rahal name is famous around racing. Graham Rahal was born in Columbus and is an Ohio State fan. His father, Bobby Rahal, is a former Indy 500 champion (1986) who was born in Medina, Ohio.
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots, which features Columbus natives Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, once stopped a concert in 2021 to watch an Ohio State game.
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John Legend
Legend, a singer and songwriter, was born in Springfield, Ohio.
Jack Nicklaus
Former professional golfer Jack Nicklaus attended Ohio State. His 18 major championships are most all-time.
Gene Smith
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Smith serves as Ohio State’s athletic director for 19 years before retiring in June.
Patricia Heaton
Heaton attended Ohio State and was born in Bay Village, Ohio. She’s an Emmy-winning actress who appeared in shows such as, “Everybody Loves Raymond” and, “The Middle.”
Jake Paul
Paul, a YouTuber and boxer who recently beat Mike Tyson, is a Cleveland native.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The conversation around Ohio State football’s championship aspirations often centers on offensive firepower, but a sophomore cornerback might play an important role in helping the Buckeyes accomplish their goals next season.
Devin Sanchez arrived in Columbus as the nation’s top cornerback recruit, and after a freshman season where he earned meaningful snaps in critical moments, the expectations have escalated.
No longer is it enough for Sanchez to be a reliable contributor. He must take a step toward becoming a true lockdown corner who can eliminate one side of the field.
“Is Devin Sanchez ready to be the dude because he’s going to have to be,” co-host Stefan Krajisnik said on Buckeye Talk. “I don’t mean is he ready to be a reliable starter — I mean it’s time… to be a dude. I don’t think it’s putting unrealistic expectations on a guy like Devin Sanchez to be an All-Big Ten first team caliber-type guy.”
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The coaching staff has demonstrated their belief in Sanchez’s potential by giving him high-leverage opportunities against elite competition as a true freshman. Against Texas last season, while other freshmen barely saw the field, Sanchez was trusted in critical moments – a telling sign of the program’s expectations.
Next season’s rematch with Texas will provide an opportunity to see how much progress Sanchez has made since the last time he faced the Longhorns.
As co-host Andrew Gillis put it, “Is he ready to announce himself to the world as lock down?”
The transformation starts now. Co-host Stephen Means made it clear that spring practice represents a crucial development period.
“We should be walking away from spring practice thinking that’s the best cornerback in the Big Ten and his only competition is (Oregon’s) Brandon Finney,” Means said. “That should be the goal for Devin.”
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What makes Sanchez’s development so critical is how it affects the entire defensive structure. If he can become that elite cornerback who eliminates one side of the field, it changes what Ohio State can do with their other 10 defenders. It allows for more aggressive pressure packages, more safety help to other areas, and ultimately, a more disruptive defense.
For Ohio State fans, Sanchez’s development represents one of the most fascinating storylines to follow this offseason. His progression from promising freshman to elite sophomore could be the difference between a playoff appearance and a national championship.
One of Ohio State’s true freshmen along the offensive line is set to enter the portal, as Tyler Bowen is set to enter his second season as line coach.Getty Images
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State freshman offensive lineman Jayvon McFadden is set to enter the transfer portal, per a report on Wednesday afternoon.
He was a member of the 2025 recruiting class as a four-star recruit and the No. 391 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite. McFadden appeared in one game for Ohio State this season, and played 15 snaps.
The Buckeyes now have just two members of the OL class in 2025 left — offensive tackle Carter Lowe and interior lineman Jake Cook.
Ohio State was unlikely to have McFadden enter the two-deep in the 2026 season, considering what talent the team is expected to have come back to the roster.
A wild transfer portal continues to march on for Ohio State.
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Andrew Gillis covers Ohio State football and recruiting for Cleveland.com. He provides updates on Ohio State football as a whole, its prospects and the Buckeyes each week. He previously covered the Bengals for…
Ohio State standout wide receiver Carnell Tate announced on Tuesday he is leaving school early to declare for the NFL draft.
Tate announced his decision on social media. The junior had 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine touchdowns this season as he became a deep threat in the Buckeyes’ passing attack.
Tate — an AP second-team All-American — had nine receptions of at least 40 yards, tied for third in the Football Bowl Subdivision, including five touchdowns. After missing three games in November because of lower leg tightness, Tate returned against Michigan and put the game out of reach with a 50-yard TD that made it 24-9 midway through the third quarter.
“I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished at Ohio State and will carry the lessons, relationships, and memories from this program with me forever,” Tate wrote.
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Tate is expected to become the sixth OSU receiver selected in the first round since 2022, joining Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave (2022), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023), Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024) and Emeka Egbuka (2025).
Ohio State’s offense will have some changes after finishing 12-2 and losing to Miami in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. Besides Tate’s departure, offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline has become the head coach at South Florida.
Coach Ryan Day announced last week he hired Cortez Hankton as receivers coach. Hankton had spent four seasons at LSU, including the past two as receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator.
Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate runs after making a catch against Miami during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. Credit: AP/Gareth Patterson
Day though remains in the market for an offensive coordinator.
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Even with Tate’s departure, the Buckeyes will have plenty of talent in the passing game. First-team All-American Jeremiah Smith will be back for one more season along with quarterback Julian Sayin. Five-star prospect Chris Henry Jr. committed to the Buckeyes during the early signing period.
