If the Ole Miss vs. Georgia matchup wasn't exciting enough, ESPN just announced two of country music's biggest stars will join the pre-game coverage on College GameDay.
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And no, one of them is not the die-hard Bulldogs fan and "Tennessee Orange" singer Megan Moroney.
College Gameday Has Had a Long History With Country Music
Of course, the ESPN pre-game show has long been associated with country music. Its theme song, "Comin' to Your City," was written by Big & Rich. It's currently performed by The Cadillac Three. Darius Rucker and Lainey Wilson provide vocals.
One of the best parts of the show is when celebrities are called upon to predict the winners of the week's matchups. Many of them come from the country music world. In fact, Tim McGraw, who appeared in 2017, and Jake Owen, a guest in 2013, are tied for the highest winning percentage of picks at 90%.
Last season, fans lost their minds when Blake Shelton picked the University of Oklahoma to win on the show. But since the singer was born in Oklahoma, how could he not pick the Sooners to win?
Last month, co-host and Nashville resident Kirk Herbstreit paid tribute to his friend Brett James. The "Jesus Take the Wheel" songwriter who died in a Sep. 18 plane crash. "He was a legend as a songwriter and one of the most respected people in that town," he said. "He sang at my 50th along with Casey Beatherd, such a good man. Just heartbreaking-my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends as they cope with this unthinkable reality."
Who's Performing on ESPN This Saturday?
The College GameDay social media account announced that for its upcoming episode at the University of Georgia, both Luke Combs and Bailey Zimmerman will perform.
Combs is from North Carolina. It seems unlikely he will support the Bulldogs. However, the options for supporting his home-state team, the Tar Heels, are limited, given that Bill Belichick is making a mess of the team.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently announced that the "Fast Car" singer now holds the record for the highest-certified country artist in history, surpassing Garth Brooks.
Zimmerman hails from southern Illinois. Although his college football allegiance is unclear, he's been performing tailgate shows on campuses nationwide.
