It’s going to be a fun South Florida sports weekend.
In addition to the Florida Panthers opening their preseason schedule with a doubleheader against the Nashville Predators on Sunday, there is a big football games that should also have fans in the area pumped up.
The No. 4 Miami Hurricanes are gearing up to host their cross-state rivals from Gainesville, the Florida Gators, on Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
The college football world will be focused on Miami long before the game, though.
That’s because ESPN’s College Gameday is being held on the University of Miami campus.
Now you may be wondering why you are reading about the Miami Hurricanes on a website dedicated to the Florida Panthers.
Here’s why:
Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk has accepted an invitation to be the show’s celebrity picker this week.
He will join the College Gameday crew on UM’s campus to help pump up the local crowd and have some fun with the show’s hosts, Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban and Pat McAfee.
“It’s an honor,” Tkachuk told The Miami Herald on Thursday. “Every since coming down here to South Florida, I’ve been more into college football, but my love for it started years ago visiting my buddy at Ole Miss.
It will be interesting to hear just how vast Tkachuk’s college football knowledge is.
Regardless, expect to see Tkachuk having a blast while appearing in his element, hanging with a bunch of sports guys with microphones in front of their faces.
“I’ve been a college football fan for a little while, but being the first NHL player to be given this honor of being on this grand stage and for the country to be seeing my picks is going to be good.”
“Hopefully my picks hit,” he added.
The show will air on Saturday at 9 a.m. on ESPN.
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Photo caption: Jun 3, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers left winger Matthew Tkachuk (19 ) is seen taking questions during media day in advance of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images)