How Did Michael Phelps’ Picks Do on College GameDay?

Michael Phelps, the most decorated swimmer and Olympian in history, was the guest picker on ESPN’s award-winning college football preview show College GameDay.

Each week, the regular hosts of the show (including swim fan Pat McAfee) make their predictions for a slate of the highest-profile college football games in the country. They also bring in a weekly ‘guest picker,’ usually someone who has a connection to one of the schools.

This week that guest picker was Phelps, who spent four years training at the University of Michigan while his coach Bob Bowman was the head coach there. Phelps took a few classes, though he never pursued a degree, and even has a Block M tattoo that he infamously showed during the picks:

The Michigan-Texas game, the highlight of this week’s lineup between the #3 Texas Longhorns and the defending National Champions from Michigan, was dubbed in swimming circles as the Bowman Bowl, as Bowman as the head coach at Michigan during the leadup to the 2008 Olympic Games, where Phelps famously won 8 gold medals, and takes over as the head coach at Texas this year.

While Bowman and Phelps have remained close even since Phelps’ 2016 retirement, his allegiances for the game were not in doubt:

As for the picks, Phelps’ selections started out slow (he picked an emphatic Michigan upset, and it was Texas by 19), but picked up through the afternoon games.

Michael Phelps‘ College GameDay Picks

Pickers are choosing winners outright, not against the spread, but the spread is shown for informational purposes.

  • Georgia Tech (-3) (Lost to Syracuse 31-28)
  • Auburn (-10.5) (lost to Cal 21-14 in the Durden/Marsh bowl)
  • Kansas (-7) (lost to Illinois 23-17)
  • Oklahoma State (-10) (beat Arkansas 39-31)
  • Iowa (-2.5) (lost to Iowa State 20-19)
  • Nebraska (-6.5) (beat Colorado 28-10)
  • South Carolina (+8.5) (beat Kentucky 31-6)
  • Tennessee (-9) (beat NC State 51-10)
  • Michigan (+6.5) (lost to Texas 31-12)

So in spite of getting one of the day’s biggest upsets right in the South Carolina win, Phelps finished 3-6. Former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Football, aka Johnny Manziel, went 5-4 last week when College Game Day was at Texas A&M, while professional wrestler Sheamus famously picked Georgia Tech to upset Florida State in week 1.

See all of Phelps’ picks below:

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Neve Stolan
26 days ago

Having Phelps on College Gameday was an overall great event and fun to watch. No matter how small the impact, it grows the sport and legitimizes Phelps as a B (bordering on A?) list celebrity.

However, anyone saying that he “crushed it” in his analysis or live TV performance needs to look themselves in the mirror. He parroted everyone else’s takes and really added nothing to the discussion of the day’s slate of games. I have no issue with him on the show, but I think if you’re going on one of the biggest sports shows in America, you should do a little homework beforehand and try to make some unique claims. By no means should he be expected… Read more »

Last edited 26 days ago by Neve Stolan
CoachLuke
Reply to  Neve Stolan
26 days ago

He was named the most influential athlete of the 20th century…Phelps is a household name whether youre a swim family or not, he’s absolutely an A list.

Diehard
Reply to  CoachLuke
26 days ago

20th century. I don’t think so

CoachLuke
Reply to  Diehard
24 days ago

lol youre absolutely right what stupid mistake

SuperSwimmer 2000
Reply to  Neve Stolan
26 days ago

I don’t know what you want from the guy. They didn’t invite him on for his expert insight and analysis. As you noted, they got guys for that already. They invited him on to be Michael Phelps, the biggest Olympian of all time and college football (Michigan) super fan. Mission accomplished. Pretty much on par for any other celebrity they invite on these shows.

As for whether he’s a-list or b-list, at the height of his game, Phelps had a Q-score that made him the third most famous athlete in the world, behind Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan.

Cate
Reply to  Neve Stolan
23 days ago

You really don’t understand the purpose of the pickems, on this show do you? That is a very small part of the show.
There were no “unique claims” in these games. If you believe that, you don’t watch a lot of college football.

Cleo Lemon
26 days ago

Notre Dame swimming orchestrated the biggest point shaving scandal of all time for that Northern Illinois game

swimster
Reply to  Cleo Lemon
26 days ago

wonder what the over under for grown men on the team crying was.

Swammer
Reply to  Cleo Lemon
26 days ago

That loss was karma

Timpon Tam
26 days ago

Speaking of college football results yesterday, I see that the Divine Powers delivered their opinion on Notre Dame’s suspension of its swimming team by permitting Northern Illinois to totally embarrass the Fighting Irish football team in a 16-14 upset victory.

Ha ha ha!

Jalen T
26 days ago

Doesn’t have time to attend NCAA swim meets but has time to hang out with Pat and Saban. What a great ambassador!

CoachLuke
Reply to  Jalen T
26 days ago

Ambassador of USAS you mean, so wtf does that have to do with NCAA meets? What a doodoo take

Grant House anti-fan club
Reply to  Jalen T
26 days ago

An ambassador is someone who makes better relationships with outside communities, right…? Wouldn’t this be the very thing an ambassador would do?

SuperSwimmer 2000
Reply to  Jalen T
26 days ago

Life is too short to hate this much.

Cate
Reply to  SuperSwimmer 2000
23 days ago

I think he’s very young. He’s like a naive kid that think his sports heroes work for nothing.

Cate
Reply to  Jalen T
23 days ago

Wut? 😂 Why would he want to attend NCAA swim meets? You DO know he’s getting paid to do College GameDay right? That it’s something his agent arranges? You must be very young.

Snarky
26 days ago

Five to one he wants that ND bet back.

Cate
Reply to  Snarky
23 days ago

A lot of us do….😭

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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