Saturday in Knoxville, Tennessee, brought an eventful lineup. President Donald Trump was present, and the top-ranked team nationwide visited. Holly Rowe and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian conducted their first interview since Sarkisian abruptly ended one after an upset win over Ohio State. Meanwhile, Johnny Knoxville from ESPN College GameDay donned a full Tennessee Volunteers football uniform. His statements often echoed the outrageous nature of MTV’s ‘Jackass’ stunts.
During the Missouri vs. Mississippi State pick, Knoxville humorously disparaged Pat McAfee’s musical career, declaring, “If Missouri loses, I’ll punish myself by listening to Pat McAfee’s new album on repeat until Halloween.” This comment prompted a hearty laugh from McAfee, with Knoxville adding, “No offense.”
Knoxville then compared Georgia and Oklahoma to unpleasant medical conditions during their game selection: “I’m from Knoxville, so this is like rooting for the gout versus the syphilis. I’m going with the gout. I’ll take Georgia.” His remarks left McAfee shielding his face, while Kirk Herbstreit appeared incredulous. Parents hoped children didn’t witness this segment.
Regarding the LSU versus Texas A&M pick, Knoxville aimed a jab at LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, who endured a challenging departure from Ole Miss. Knoxville stated, “I don’t know how anyone can root for Lane ‘Left Out in the Parking Lot’ Kiffin. He is to college football what toe fungus is to flip flops. I’m going with A&M.”
Knoxville’s commentary took another wild turn during the Texas vs. Tennessee selection. Following discussions of Tennessee’s defensive concerns and critiques of Texas’ offense, he concluded, “After the game today, Tennessee will remain the real UT, and Texas will stay the real UTI.” Rece Davis and Desmond Howard were visibly shocked by his remarks.
The crowd showed immense support for Trump ahead of the Tennessee-Texas showdown. President Donald Trump, alongside Sen. Bill Hagerty and Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, was spotlighted on the video screen during the game, attending more college football games than any recent sitting president.
Adding to his antics, Knoxville humorously attempted to slip a referee a $20 bill during a pregame interview. As expected, Knoxville delivered a unique performance, earning his PG-13 guest status.