Cole Swindell says he has plenty to be nervous about before judging the Miss America Competition on Sunday (Sept. 11), and talking to last year’s country music judge didn’t really help.

Swindell joins Mark Cuban, Sara Foster and former Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes on the judging panel. Last year, Brett Eldredge represented country music, so naturally, Swindell called on his friend.

“The only thing he said was to practice my poker face,” Swindell admits, “because you’ve got these beautiful girls walking straight at you and can’t let ‘em know ‘Oh my God! You’re hot!’”

Yep, that would be awkward. The 2017 Miss American Competition will air at 9PM ET on ABC on Sept. 11. It’s a high-stakes night for the 52 women competing, and the “Middle of a Memory” singer doesn’t want to be in the middle of the right woman and her crown. Plus, he knows fans can be hard on judges, and with social media providing an easy porthole to his ear … there could be repercussions.

“What if they make me ask some ridiculously hard question, you know? That would be awful,” the country star says. “I don’t want these girls mad at me.”

Swindell says his vote will go to someone who is simply looking to make the world a better place. He values honesty and a genuine personality in a contestant above all else. Of course, the contestants may be eying him up, too. After all, 2016 Miss American winner Betty Cantrell says she’s moving to Nashville to pursue country music when her reign ends this month. A Cole Swindell/Miss America duet, maybe? Just think of the Georgia pride!

“Yeah,” Swindell says after a loud laugh. “Miss America and me. Right.”

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