There was a huge game with College Football Playoff aspirations at stake. The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes hosted the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions at noon. Both teams are undefeated, and a loss could mean their plans to make the Playoff and the Big Ten Championship Game end.
For the Buckeyes, they will have to rely heavily on wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., considering the fact that the team is without fellow wideout Emeka Egbuka and running back TreVeyon Henderson. Harrison is expected to be a Top 5 selection in the 2024 NFL Draft because he is that much of a game-changer.
FOX Sports play-by-play commentator Gus Johnson decided to debut a new nickname for Harrison, "Maserati Marv."
Let's just say that the nickname didn't really stick with fans the way that Johnson had anticipated. As in, social media users didn't like it at all.
College football fans were sick of Gus Johnson's 'Maserati Marv' nickname for Marvin Harrison Jr.
Gus Johnson to Joel Klatt every time Marvin Harrison touches the ball: pic.twitter.com/haFxcBl1O0
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) October 21, 2023
Take a shot every time Gus Johnson says Maserati Marv
— ۟ (@cympole) October 21, 2023
*me by halftime* pic.twitter.com/POAnDnF5Bw
"Maserati Marv"
— Derek Shuman (@DerekShuman_) October 21, 2023
2 minutes in and I'm already sick of Gus Johnson pic.twitter.com/eMOoff0ZkW
Me when I hear Gus Johnson say Maserati Marv for the 16th time this half pic.twitter.com/hroi7sLPrf
— Vinny Nardella (@vnardella5) October 21, 2023
Gus Johnson’s Ohio State bias is ruining this broadcast. If he says Maserati Marv one more time I’m going to lose it.
— Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorFB) October 21, 2023
Gus Johnson is about to get muted if he doesn’t stop yelling Maserati at me
— Cocky Kyle Shanahan (@CoachKShanahan) October 21, 2023
Gus Johnson really wants maserati to become a thing for Marvin Harrison Jr pic.twitter.com/g2Y1sGCXk8
— Dylan Holt (@DylanHolt_) October 21, 2023
take a drink every time the broadcast says Maserati Marv
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) October 21, 2023
me at the start of the 4th: pic.twitter.com/BrZA94aIza
did gus just decide on the maserati marv nickname today
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) October 21, 2023
Maserati Marv could use something more than General Motors McCord throwing him the football.
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) October 21, 2023
Yeah, there were a lot of college football viewers who weren't fans of the nickname.
Harrison is, of course, the son of former Indianapolis Colt wideout Marvin Harrison Sr. Through his first two years at Ohio State, Harrison showed why he is considered the top receiver in college football. He has tremendous speed and can make the big catch when needed. But there was buzz earlier this year about his prospects in the NFL.
Earlier this year, Harrison participated in Ohio State's Pro Day to help out quarterback C.J. Stroud. While the quarterback impressed, scouts and NFL Draft analysts had to pick their jaws up off the floor after watching him run routes and catch passes. An NFL scout texted ESPN's Jordan Reid their thoughts on Harrison and said watching the wide receiver run routes was "like window shopping at a Lamborghini dealership for the model that doesn’t come out until next year."
“Like window shopping at a Lamborghini dealership for the model that doesn’t come out until next year.”
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) March 22, 2023
Text from an NFL scout at Ohio State pro-day today after watching Marvin Harrison Jr. run routes
Entering this game, Harrison recorded 31 receptions for 604 yards and five touchdowns. In his three years in college (32 games), Harrison caught 119 passes for 2,006 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Harrison has the potential to be the first position player taken off the board in the NFL Draft in Detroit next April. NFL scouts are enamored by Harrison's abilities. But we'll see if the team that selects him will print up "Maserati Marv" merchandise. Based on initial reactions on social media, not sure they would sell.