AUSTIN, Texas — Glen Powell picked the Texas Longhorns over the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on ESPN’s College GameDay from the LBJ Presidential Library lawn Saturday morning.
Powell also called Texas a national championship team.
“I’ll tell you what, I believe in the sexiest team,” Powell said. “I believe in Sark. I believe in Arch. I believe that this team has the potential to go all the way, and the thing that would make me the happiest is to party with all of you guys in Vegas.”
The College Football Playoff National Championship is set for Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Powell went with Texas, Oklahoma, BYU, Alabama, Mississippi State, Boise State, Iowa, Tennessee, and the Arizona State Sun Devils on the pick board Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, and Pat McAfee all took Texas as well. Kirk Herbstreit made no pick on the main game because he calls it Saturday night on ABC with Chris Fowler. Powell was the only person on the desk to take Arizona State over the Texas A&M Aggies.
Glen Powell’s Second College GameDay Pick In Austin
Powell first served as guest picker on Sept. 10, 2022, when GameDay came to Austin for Texas and Alabama. He finished that day 7-5. Powell predicted a big game for Bijan Robinson, who was held to 57 rushing yards and 1 touchdown on 21 carries.
ESPN set the show in Austin on Sept. 10, and Powell announced the appearance himself in a video, calling the matchup two powerhouse programs clashing in the greatest city on the planet.
“What is up y’all? Glen Powell here, I am your celebrity guest picker this week,” Powell said. “This Saturday, I am coming to you from my hometown of Austin, Texas, where my Texas Longhorns are facing off against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Two powerhouse programs clashing in the greatest city on the planet. Tune in and Hook ‘Em Horns.”
Saturday marked GameDay’s 11th trip to Austin and the 501st road broadcast in the show’s 40th season. Texas is 5-5 in the previous 10.
Ohio State’s last visit to Austin came on Sept. 9, 2006, with GameDay on campus. The No. 2 Buckeyes beat the No. 1 Longhorns 24-7 that day. Texas last won with the show in town in 2009, a 34-24 result over Texas Tech. Since then the Longhorns have lost to LSU in 2019, Alabama in 2022, TCU in 2022, and Georgia in 2024 with GameDay in Austin.
Arch Manning And Texas Ahead Of Ohio State
Arch Manning opened the season Sept. 5 by completing 20-of-27 passes for 305 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception in a 59-7 win over Texas State. He left midway through the third quarter with Texas ahead 42-7.
Julian Sayin was 21-of-25 for 320 yards with 3 touchdowns in Ohio State’s 56-3 win over Ball State the same day.
Ohio State leads the series 3-2 and has won the last two meetings. The Buckeyes won 14-7 in last season’s opener at Ohio Stadium and 28-14 in the Cotton Bowl playoff semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in January 2025.
Texas is 21-1 in its last 22 games at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns open SEC play Sept. 26 at Tennessee.
Kickoff at Royal-Memorial is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
