Jack Gohlke is receiving plenty of accolades after his historic March Madness performance in Oakland's 80-76 win over No. 3 seed Kentucky in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Though, the compliment that is apparently sticking with him the most comes courtesy of polarizing ex-NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown.

“My boys' favorite moment on the internet was when I was named cracker of the day,” Gohlke told The Pat McAfee Show on Friday, referencing the social media staple of Brown. The four-time First-Team All-Pro juxtaposed a now-famous image of the Oakland sixth man shrugging his shoulders with iconic images of Michael Jordan, Caitlin Clark and Mel Gibson all doing the same.

Although Brown's approval carries little weight these days, it is surely a surreal experience for a previously unknown athlete to see his face pictured alongside those prominent figures. Gohlke and the entire Oakland squad obviously needs to be focused for a winnable matchup with fellow underdog NC State on Saturday, but he also knows this specific moment is unlikely to be replicated after this NCAA Tournament run ends.

It is critical that Gohlke and every other breakout star in this year's tourney figures out how to strike a balance between relishing the glory and being dialed in for the next game. This is an opportunity for the Oakland Golden grizzlies to leave a permanent mark on one of sports' greatest spectacles. They can't lose sight of that in the midst of all the hysteria.

Jack Gohlke is an overnight sensation after lighting up Wildcats

The senior guard scored 32 points off the bench and was 10-of-20 from the floor, with all his attempts coming from beyond the 3-point line. Scouts knew that Gohlke was a threat from downtown considering that he only made four 2-point buckets this season, but nobody outside of Oakland expected him to do anything like that, even against a porous Kentucky defense.

The name Jack Gohlke is immortalized in March Madness lore now, though. He earned his time in the spotlight and can extend it if the No. 14 seed Golden Grizzlies oust the 11-seeded Wolf Pack in the Round of 32. They have never reached the second week of the NCAA Tournament before, so adrenaline and nerves could be running high in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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One thing fans can count on, though, is that Gohlke will not be shy about letting it fly from 3-point range. His confidence, viral one-liner — “we're not a Cinderella”- – and genuine appreciation for this life-changing experience makes him and this team an easy bracket buster to root for this year.

Win or lose, the surreal feeling should not wear off anytime soon. Being named “Cracker of the Day” clearly carries significance in Gohlke's inner circle and will forever serve as evidence that on March 21, 2024, the internet belonged to this Pewaukee, Wisconsin native.

Though, Gohlke might not want to get too chummy with Antonio Brown, at least not until after he takes his final exams. Oakland versus NC State tips off at approximately 7:10 p.m. ET on Saturday.