GameDay Guest Picker
Actor Morgan Freeman will serve as ESPN College GameDay guest picker for LSU-Ole Miss.
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Key Points
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Morgan Freeman donated $1 million to Ole Miss in 2021, underscoring his longstanding support for the university.
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This will be Freeman’s first appearance on College GameDay, where the guest picker joins the anchors to predict winners of several games, including the host matchup.
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LSU is ranked No. 7 and Ole Miss No. 8, making Saturday’s game the first AP Top 10 matchup between the teams since 1962.
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Ole Miss honored Freeman with its 2025 Honorary Alumni Award, which recognizes people who did not graduate from the university but have demonstrated significant support and service.
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LSU linebacker Whit Weeks said Kiffin would be prepared for the hostile reception in Oxford, citing the coach’s previous return to Tennessee in 2021, when fans threw objects including a golf ball and mustard bottle onto the field.
Morgan Freeman will serve as ESPN's celebrity guest picker for College GameDay when the show broadcasts from Oxford ahead of the highly anticipated LSU-Ole Miss matchup on Saturday. Sports Illustrated reports that the Academy Award-winning actor, a Mississippi native and longtime Rebels supporter, will join the anchors to predict winners across several games in what marks his first appearance on the iconic show.
The game itself carries historic weight: No. 7 LSU faces No. 8 Ole Miss in the first AP Top 10 matchup between the teams since 1962, Yahoo Sports reports. Adding another layer of intrigue, LSU head coach Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford for the first time since leaving Ole Miss after the 2024 season, where he compiled a strong record during his five-year tenure.
Freeman's Deep Ties to Ole Miss Athletics
Freeman has been a visible and generous supporter of Ole Miss for years. In 2021, he donated $1 million to the university, underscoring his commitment to the program. WDSU notes that Freeman frequently attends Rebels sporting events despite never attending the university himself. This year, Ole Miss honored Freeman with its 2025 Honorary Alumni Award, recognizing people who show significant support and service to the school.
Ole Miss' History Hosting College GameDay
Saturday will mark Ole Miss's third time hosting ESPN's College GameDay. The school previously hosted the show in 2014 and 2021. In 2014, singer Katy Perry served as the guest picker. Three years later, then-Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin filled the role in 2021. Freeman's appearance as an outside celebrity represents a notable shift from having current or former coaches in that position.
Kiffin Returns to Hostile Territory in Oxford
Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford as LSU's head coach will test his coaching poise in a charged atmosphere. LSU linebacker Whit Weeks said Kiffin should expect a hostile reception, citing the coach's previous return to Tennessee in 2021. During that game, Volunteers fans threw objects including a golf ball and mustard bottle onto the field, creating a chaotic scene. Oxford fans are likely to deliver a similarly intense reception on Saturday.
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