Theo Von will return to the college football world for the massive Alabama-Vanderbilt matchup. The stand-up comedian and podcaster was selected to be the Week 6 guest picker on College GameDay.
Before selecting Von, ESPN also considered Alabama-based television personality James Spann, according to College GameDay host Rece Davis. However, Von's social media following and connection to the college football fan base ultimately swung in his favor.
“[Theo Von is] hilarious,” Davis said, via AL.com. “He's been on the show before. I understand schools would like to have one of their legends, and we do that a lot. We've had Joe Namath here. If memory serves me, we've invited Ozzie Newsome. We'd love to do it sometime, it just hasn't worked out. When you have someone who transcends the game and expands your reach and is awesome like Theo Von, [he] is an easy yes.”
Although Von grew up in California, he currently owns a residence in Nashville, Tennessee. He frequently attends Vanderbilt football games, most recently in Week 4, when the Commodores took on Georgia State.
College GameDay heads to Tuscaloosa for Week 6 after spending Week 5 in State College for the top-five clash between Penn State and Oregon. ESPN selected former Nittany Lions linebacker LaVar Arrington as its guest picker for the marquee matchup.
Alabama seeks revenge against Vanderbilt in Week 6
Alabama and Vanderbilt meet a year after the Commodores pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent college football history. The Tide walked into Firstbank Stadium as the No. 1 team in the country after beating Georgia the week before, but suffered a stunning 40-35 upset loss as three-touchdown favorites.
Many circumstances are the same in 2025. Alabama will not enter the matchup ranked No. 1, but it is coming off a win over Georgia yet again and is closing as a double-digit favorite. However, Vanderbilt enters Week 6 ranked No. 16, giving this meeting significantly more weight than its predecessor.
The location change is the most significant difference from 2024 to 2025. Vanderbilt pulled off the upset in Nashville last season, but Alabama has taken the last 11 meetings in Tuscaloosa.
