Every college sports fan looks forward to ESPN’s College GameDay every week. Rudy, a popular sports movie from 1993 directed by David Anspaugh, is also legendary.
The consequences of combining the two universities on Saturday were astounding.
The true story of former Notre Dame walk-on Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who realized his dream of playing for the Irish in the middle of the 1970s, served as the inspiration for the American classic film.
The GameDay staff in South Bend welcomed actor Vince Vaughn as a guest selector of the slate of games for Saturday. Vince Vaughn plays Jamie O’Hara in the movie. When Vaughn made an appearance wearing the Fighting Irish varsity jacket he wore in the movie, he perfectly timed it to transport all sports fans back to the early 1990s.
When he announced his pick for Saturday’s matchup between No. 6 Ohio State and No. 9 Notre Dame, Vaughn sent the Irish faithful into a frenzy in front of the renowned “Touchdown Jesus” on the campus of Notre Dame. He also warmed the hearts of the nation’s television audience.
“The Buckeyes are for real. That being said I played for Notre Dame. I threw a pass at Notre Dame,” said Vaughn. “If I had half the heart of Rudy I would have been an All-American, instead of picking games up here with you guys…Play like a champion…the Irish will prevail today.”
Who Vaughn was going to predict the winner was clearly the person wearing the Fighting Irish’s blue and gold. However, the way he announced the choice was genuinely unique and set the tone for Saturday’s top-10 battle wonderfully.
