The Vanderbilt Commodores football team received a surprise endorsement during ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast in Tuscaloosa, as comedian and podcaster Theo Von picked them to upset the Alabama Crimson Tide — and his reason quickly went viral.

Standing alongside Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit, the comedian was the lone panelist to pick the Commodores in this top-25 SEC football showdown. His reasoning, delivered in true Von fashion, mixed humor with hometown pride.

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) by College GameDay’s official account, the network shared a full clip capturing the viral moment as Von announced his pick, complete with crowd reactions and the panel’s stunned response.

“I feel blessed to be here. With that said, Vanderbilt is my ride home!”

The line instantly exploded on social media. The video has racked up over 340,000 views and thousands of comments, with many users either laughing at the gag or questioning the logic. Still, it wasn’t entirely a joke.

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Von has long-standing ties to Vanderbilt football. He lives in Nashville and reportedly resides in the former home of ex-Commodores coach Derek Mason. He’s publicly supported quarterback Diego Pavia throughout the 2025 season and even praised the team’s run game, which leads the SEC.

Against that backdrop, his loyalty made sense. But it stood out even more considering every other GameDay analyst — including Alabama football legend Nick Saban — picked the Crimson Tide to win.

The high-stakes SEC football clash features the undefeated Commodores at 5-0 and a motivated 3-1 Alabama squad seeking revenge after losing to Vandy in 2024. With the teams battling for playoff position, Von’s lighthearted moment gave fans a laugh before kickoff.

Whether his pick proves prophetic or not, Vanderbilt football earned a rare moment in the spotlight thanks to Von’s comedy and loyalty. If the Commodores win again, this might go down as one of the most iconic guest picks in College GameDay history.