College Gameday host calls out Johnny Manziel after ex-NFL star’s controversial ESPN no show

Johnny Football was a no show.

ESPN’s College GameDay had a busy weekend, airing ahead of Alabama’s victory at Oklahoma on Friday night before pulling double duty Saturday morning in College Station for Texas A&M’s opening-round clash with Miami.

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Two high-profile alumni were originally slated to headline College GameDay as guest pickers this weekend.

Oklahoma icon Brian Bosworth appeared in Norman for Friday night’s broadcast, while Texas A&M Heisman winner Johnny Manziel was expected to fill the role Saturday.

That plan changed, however, as the show abruptly announced that former Aggies basketball standout and two-time NBA champion Alex Caruso would step in and serve as the guest picker instead.

College GameDay has yet to provide an explanation for the last minute switch, nor has the show addressed it on social media.

On Sunday, Manziel released an apology for missing the event. 

“I will have plenty more to say about what transpired yesterday,” Manziel wrote in an Instagram story.

“There is almost nothing on this earth that would have made me miss that game. To all the people that genuinely reached out and checked in on me, I cannot thank you enough. To ESPN, Pat, Coach, Desmond, and the entire crew on GameDay, I apologize; it was out of my control. To the Aggies and A&M fanbase, I’m sorry. I will continue to let everyone out there run with a fake narrative, and at the end of the day, perception always wins over reality. I love all of you who genuinely support me through good and bad, like you’ve done for years.

“I have no doubt Texas A&M and the Aggie football program will be in that position. I’m recovering and feeling about a 3/10, going to rest up and try and get back to normal. Much love.”

However, appearing on the College GameDay Podcast this week, host Rece Davis seemed skeptical of Manziel’s ‘sudden illness’ given the ex-NFL star was at the Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul boxing match at Miami’s Kaseya Center the night before.

“When you go to a fight like that, you’ve got to be very careful about where you eat breakfast the next morning,” Davis said. “Because it can leave you ill and give you difficulty in reaching the locales where you are scheduled to be. But I digress.”

“I just wondered, is that what the kids are calling it these days? A bad breakfast? Anyway, wouldn’t cast aspersions anywhere. For those who follow closely, you’ll be able to read between the lines there. You have to follow a little closely.”

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Bleacher Report had additionally promoted Manziel’s expected appearance on its College GameDay pregame stream from Kyle Field, which aired on YouTube at 10 a.m. ET.

Manziel even reshared Bleacher Report’s post to his Instagram stories, but he did not appear on Saturday’s show alongside Mike Golic Jr. and Ray G.

Manziel previously served as guest picker for Texas A&M’s Week 1 matchup against Notre Dame. Caruso, meanwhile, was making his College GameDay guest picker debut.

Aggies fans didn’t get Manziel, nor did they get what they wanted most: a win.

Miami outslugged Texas A&M 10–3, securing the first College Football Playoff victory in program history for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes survived a defensive slugfest, edging out the Aggies in front of the storied 12th Man in Miami’s first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.

Miami running back Mark Fletcher dominated the second half, rushing for a career-high 172 yards on 17 carries, highlighted by a career-long 56-yard run that set up Malachi Toney’s game-winning touchdown with less than two minutes remaining.

The score came just minutes after the electric freshman had fumbled at midfield, with Fletcher helping to steady the 18-year-old on the sidelines.

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Rueben Bain spearheaded Miami’s pass rush, recording a career-high three sacks as part of a seven-sack day against A&M’s Marcel Reed.

The Aggies’ dual-threat quarterback threw for 237 yards and added 57 rushing yards but was picked off twice by freshman safety Bryce Fitzgerald.

The decisive interception came with just 24 seconds remaining, with Texas A&M threatening from Miami’s 4-yard line. Fitzgerald now leads the Hurricanes with six interceptions on the season.

The Hurricanes (11–2) now shift their focus to the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve, where they will face reigning national champion Ohio State (12–1) in what promises to be another defensive battle.

Miami’s stout unit excelled against the Aggies (11–2), who began the season with 11 consecutive wins before closing out with two heartbreaking defeats.

For Miami’s Mario Cristobal, he finally got over the hump. For Texas A&M’s Mike Elko, it’s back to the drawing board.