Caitlin Clark is this week's 'College GameDay' guest picker after Fever's WNBA playoff exit

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Caitlin Clark launched her first signature shoe, the Nike Caitlin 1, on Thursday, with members of the Iowa women's basketball team among the first to receive a pair.

Now, the Hawkeyes legend and current Indiana Fever star is returning to her alma mater as the celebrity guest picker for ESPN's "College GameDay," the network announced Friday.

"College GameDay" will broadcast live from the University of Iowa at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, Oct. 3, ahead of the No. 14-ranked Hawkeyes' highly anticipated Big Ten opener against No. 6 Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium.

REQUIRED READING: 'College GameDay' headed to Ohio State-Iowa in Week 5, breaks from SEC tour

ESPN's signature college football pregame show with Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit is making its first trip to Iowa City in two decades. It's the show's third trip to Iowa City overall. Ohio State happened to be the visiting opponent in both 1996 and 2006, as well, with the Buckeyes winning both games.

Clark was the presumed choice for the celebrity guest picker by many, including USA TODAY Sports' Austin Curtright, though her availability depended on her WNBA playoff schedule. The Indiana Fever were facing the Las Vegas Aces in the first round this week.

The uncertainty ended Thursday, though, when Indiana was eliminated from the postseason. Clark did all she could to extend the series, scoring a team-high 27 points in Game 2, but the Fever's season came to an end in the decisive Game 3, clearing the way for her return to Iowa for Saturday's "College GameDay" appearance.

Clark took Iowa to new heights across her four seasons in a Hawkeyes uniform. The two-time Player of the Year led the Hawkeyes to three Big Ten titles and two Final Fours, including in her senior season, which saw her become the NCAA's all-time leading scorer for both men's and women's basketball.

Iowa and Ohio State football are set for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff inside Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Caitlin Clark is this week's 'College GameDay' guest picker after Fever's WNBA playoff exit

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos