Former Indiana basketball legend Isiah Thomas found himself at the center of an unexpected moment during ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast on Saturday, October 31, 2026, after Indiana fans loudly booed him for supporting Ohio State over USC.
Thomas, who is also a former Detroit Pistons superstar, joined the College GameDay crew in Bloomington, Indiana, as the celebrity guest picker ahead of the Hoosiers’ Week 9 matchup against Minnesota. Although he received support from Indiana fans when discussing his beloved Hoosiers, his comments about Ohio State quickly changed the atmosphere.
The former NBA champion remained confident in his selections despite the reaction from the crowd, making the appearance one of the talking points from this week’s College GameDay broadcast.
Why Did Indiana Fans Boo Isiah Thomas?
The reason Indiana fans booed Isiah Thomas was his prediction favoring Ohio State over USC.
During the broadcast, Pat McAfee highlighted Ohio State’s significant victory over the defending national champions, which prompted a negative reaction from the Indiana supporters gathered around the College GameDay set.
Thomas then made his position clear.
“I think talent always wins out,” Thomas said. He added that he liked Ohio State’s talent and picked the Buckeyes to defeat USC.
The crowd immediately responded with loud boos.
Thomas appeared to anticipate the reaction and even placed his head on the College GameDay desk as the Indiana faithful expressed their disappointment.
Despite the criticism, he did not change his selection.
Isiah Thomas Supports Indiana Against Minnesota
Although his Ohio State prediction did not go down well with Indiana supporters, Thomas received a much warmer reaction when he backed the Hoosiers against Minnesota.
Thomas confidently predicted an impressive defensive performance from Indiana, suggesting that Minnesota could struggle to move the football.
“They may pull an Alabama-Georgia where Minnesota doesn’t get past the 50-yard line,” Thomas said.
His bold prediction reflected his confidence in Indiana’s defense and the momentum surrounding head coach Curt Cignetti’s program.
The Indiana crowd also showed strong support for the Hoosiers during the broadcast, with Pat McAfee highlighting how the entire state had rallied behind the team.
Thomas joined the other College GameDay analysts in selecting Indiana to win the Minnesota matchup.
Where Is College GameDay Today, October 31, 2026?
ESPN’s College GameDay was broadcasting live from Bloomington, Indiana, on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
The popular college football pregame show traveled to Indiana ahead of the Big Ten matchup between the Indiana Hoosiers and Minnesota Golden Gophers.
The broadcast featured host Rece Davis alongside analysts Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit. Former Indiana basketball star Isiah Thomas joined the group as the celebrity guest picker.
Bloomington provided the setting for a major weekend of college football as Indiana supporters gathered to show their enthusiasm for the Hoosiers.
College GameDay This Week: Isiah Thomas’ Guest Picks
Isiah Thomas joined the College GameDay crew to make predictions for several important college football games during Week 9.
Here is a look at his selections compared with the other analysts.
| Matchup | Isiah Thomas’ Pick |
|---|---|
| Miami vs. North Carolina | Miami |
| Utah vs. Cincinnati | Utah |
| Arizona State vs. BYU | BYU |
| Arizona vs. Texas Tech | Texas Tech |
| Northwestern vs. Oregon | Northwestern |
| Wisconsin vs. Iowa | Iowa |
| Ohio State vs. USC | Ohio State |
| Auburn vs. Ole Miss | Ole Miss |
| Florida vs. Georgia | Georgia |
| Minnesota vs. Indiana | Indiana |
One of the more interesting selections came in the Arizona-Texas Tech matchup. Thomas backed Texas Tech, while the other four analysts selected Arizona.
He also joined Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit in picking Ole Miss to defeat Auburn.
For the Florida-Georgia rivalry game, Thomas selected Georgia, agreeing with Howard, Saban and McAfee. Herbstreit did not make a selection because he was scheduled to call the game.
Isiah Thomas Picks Ole Miss Over Auburn
Another important selection from Thomas involved the SEC matchup between Auburn and Ole Miss.
Thomas picked Ole Miss to win at home, agreeing with Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit.
Desmond Howard was the only member of the panel to select Auburn.
The disagreement added another interesting storyline to the College GameDay predictions, particularly with Auburn looking to produce an important conference victory.
Who Is Isiah Thomas?
Isiah Thomas is a former professional basketball player and one of the most recognizable figures in Detroit Pistons history.
He became a basketball legend during his time with the Pistons, leading the franchise to consecutive NBA championships in 1989 and 1990.
Thomas also played college basketball for Indiana University, making his appearance in Bloomington especially meaningful.
His connection to Indiana basketball made him a natural celebrity guest picker for ESPN’s College GameDay. However, his support for Ohio State over USC showed that he was not afraid to make unpopular predictions in front of the Indiana crowd.
Where Is Gameday This Week? Final Details
For fans searching where is College GameDay today or where is Gameday this week, ESPN’s show was in Bloomington, Indiana, on October 31.
The broadcast focused on the Indiana-Minnesota Big Ten matchup and featured Isiah Thomas as the celebrity guest picker.
His Ohio State prediction generated loud boos from Indiana supporters, but his backing of the Hoosiers against Minnesota helped win back some of the crowd.
Thomas’ appearance, bold defensive prediction and Week 9 selections made him one of the biggest talking points from this week’s College GameDay broadcast.
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