ESPN’s ‘GameDay,’ with Joe Namath, split on Alabama-Texas, Auburn Cal; Lee Corso calls audible
Joe Namath #JoeNamath
Lee Corso, with Alabama legend Joe Namath next to him, played to the Tuscaloosa crowd. Until he didn’t.
The “GameDay” analyst stayed true to his early-morning pick but not before he took the Alabama faithful on a rollercoaster ride with his prediction of No. 3 Alabama and No. 11 Texas.
“Before I make my pick,” he started, “I want to say something. I love this place. It’s beautiful campus, great football fans and the home of winning football.”
He then called for the fight song and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” played to the delight of the Tide faithful. Corso, however, wasn’t done.
“Wait,” he yelled. “Wait a minute, that’s not the right song.”
The Texas fight song then blared and he rocked the Longhorns head gear.
Corso’s pick is his 399th headgear pick. Since he started the tradition in 1996, Corso has picked Alabama 36 times, the second-most of any program. The Crimson Tide is 26-10 when picked.
However, Corso is 7-5 when picking Texas’ head gear. The Longhorns have lost each of the last two times Corso has gone with Bevo.
Corso wasn’t alone in his pick.
“Pete (Thamel) already told us that NFL scouts say Texas has more draftable than Alabama,” Desmond Howard said. “Quinn Ewers cut his mullet. Texas is going to beat Alabama.”
Pat McAfee had a different thought, though.
“Nick Saban trying to figure out what his team is going to do this year,” he explained. “And what he decides that we are going to be is a ground-and-pound football team with a quarterback that is literally like a Stallion, also Lamar Jackson. An adult playing against high schoolers. Then, you got the defense and the special teams, then you got the fans from Alabama. Give me Alabama.”
Namath, meanwhile, could care less who Alabama is playing. He’s rolling with the Tide no matter what.
“If Alabama were playing the Kansas City Chiefs, I’d take Alabama,” Namath said. “I’m taking Alabama every day of my life.”
Here are the picks:
Cal-Auburn
Ole Miss-Tulane
App State-North Carolina
Kansas State-Troy
Iowa-Iowa State
Miss. State-Arizona
Okla. State-Arizona State
Wisconsin-Washington State
Oregon-Texas Tech
Texas A&M-Miami
Colorado-Nebraska
Notre Dame-NC State
Alabama-Texas
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.