Lainey Wilson’s Husband Defends Her After College GameDay Performance Gets Criticized
Lainey Wilson’s husband, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, was quick to defend the country star after her College GameDay performance sparked criticism online.
Wilson appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay in Baton Rouge on September 5 as the show’s first celebrity guest picker of the season. She also performed live for the LSU crowd, including a version of Big & Rich’s “Comin’ to Your City.”
LET’S GO 🐯@laineywilson and the LSU marching band have the GameDay crowd ready for Week 1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jRLJpGM1yb
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 5, 2026
Lainey Wilson Faces Criticism Online
Wilson returned to her home state of Louisiana for the highly anticipated College GameDay appearance.
The country singer joined the ESPN crew to make her picks for the weekend’s college football games. She also took the stage with the LSU marching band for a performance of “Comin’ to Your City.”
Later in the show, she performed her 2026 single “Can’t Sit Still.”
However, not everyone online was impressed with her opening performance.
Some social media users criticized Wilson’s vocals and the decision to have her perform the famous College GameDay theme song.
One particularly blunt post questioned why anyone thought the performance was a good idea.
Devlin Hodges Fires Back
Wilson’s new husband, former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Devlin “Duck” Hodges, happened to be at the event.
He noticed one of the comments criticizing his wife and decided to respond.
Hodges replied directly to the user:
“Glad to see you purchased a blue check mark.”
The comment appeared to mock the user’s verified status on X and quickly became part of the online conversation surrounding Wilson’s performance.
Hodges did not launch into a lengthy defense of his wife.
Instead, he delivered a short and sarcastic response that immediately got attention from fans.
Glad to see you purchased a blue check mark. https://t.co/JdVVcG3VVV
— Devlin Hodges (@DevlinHodges10) September 5, 2026
Lainey Had Plenty Of Support Too
While some viewers criticized the performance, Wilson also received plenty of support.
Many fans pointed out that she was performing live in front of a massive college football crowd and representing her home state.
Wilson grew up in Baskin, Louisiana, before moving to Nashville after high school to pursue her country music career. Her appearance at LSU gave her the opportunity to return home in front of a national television audience.
She also appeared comfortable throughout the broadcast and joined the College GameDay panel to make her football predictions.
She Brought Louisiana Energy To College GameDay
Wilson clearly embraced the occasion.
She wore a sparkling purple-and-gold outfit with tiger-print details and performed alongside the LSU marching band.
Her set also included her own music, giving fans a chance to hear her outside the usual concert setting.
During the broadcast, Wilson also announced that she will return as host of the CMA Awards for the third consecutive year.
Despite the criticism surrounding one performance, the appearance gave Wilson another major national television moment.
Duck Hodges And Lainey Wilson Recently Got Married
The exchange also comes only months after Wilson and Hodges got married.
The couple tied the knot on May 10, 2026, after dating for several years.
Hodges, who played quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has increasingly appeared alongside Wilson at major events.
His decision to defend her online shows that the newlywed is not afraid to step in when criticism comes her way.
For Lainey, however, the weekend was about much more than social media reactions.
She returned to her home state, joined one of the biggest college football broadcasts in the country and performed in front of an LSU crowd.
And with her husband watching from the crowd, she certainly had someone in her corner when the online criticism began.
