ESPN’s College GameDay is heading to the Indiana campus tomorrow as the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers take on 5-2 Minnesota. Naturally, Indiana will be bringing in an all-time great alum for the occasion, but not from football.
On Friday, ESPN announced that Hall of Fame point guard and Hoosiers basketball legend Isiah Thomas will be the guest picker for the event. Thomas won a national championship with the Hoosiers in 1981, earning Most Outstanding Player honors for the NCAA Tournament that year en route to NBA superstardom and two titles.
“He’s a 2x NBA champion, a Hall of Famer and won the 1981 NCAA championship with the Indiana Hoosiers. 🏆 Now Isiah Thomas is returning to Bloomington as this week’s guest picker!” ESPN shared on X.
He’s a 2x NBA champion, a Hall of Famer and won the 1981 NCAA championship with the Indiana Hoosiers 🏆
Now Isiah Thomas is returning to Bloomington as this week’s guest picker! pic.twitter.com/DLSFKUVACt
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 30, 2026
From Basketball Powerhouse to Football Powerhouse
During the late Bob Knight’s tenure as head coach of the Hoosiers basketball team, Indiana was among the best college hoops programs in the country for years. It was the polar opposite of their football program, which struggled to register winning seasons for decades on end.
Indiana basketball has declined in recent years, making the Sweet 16 only four times in the last 30 years.
But the fortunes of Indiana football changed forever with the hiring of Curt Cignetti after the 2023 season. Cignetti promptly delivered Indiana its first-ever 11-win season and trip to the College Football Playoff.
Last year, Cignetti finished the job and capped off one of the biggest turnarounds in the history of college sports by leading the Hoosiers to an undefeated 16-0 season and a national title win. This year, the Hoosiers are off to a 7-1 start and rank No. 4 in the country.
Indiana has yet to lose to an unranked team since Cignetti took over and they don’t intend for Minnesota to be the first tomorrow.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Oct 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.