ESPN College Gameday didn’t wait until Week 1 to make their national championship picks known.
In their Week 0 program and season premiere, the College Gameday crew rolled out their picks for conference champions and the eventual national champions. To no one’s surprise, the Oregon Ducks made everyone’s playoff bracket. However, in a bit of a shocker, two of the analysts have Oregon not only making the title game but winning the entire thing.
Michigan alum and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard has the Ducks defeating Georgia to win the national championship. It would be a nice feather in Dan Lanning’s cap to give Oregon its first title, but beating his former team while doing it would just be the cherry on top.
Herbstreit also picked the Ducks to win it all, but he had Ohio State winning the Big Ten. In this scenario, Oregon would have to play a first-round contest at Autzen on its way to the title. Herbsteit’s bracket had the Ducks hosting Boise State in that first game before facing Utah in the quarterfinals. He also had the Ducks defeating the Bulldogs out of the SEC in the championship game.
Desmond Howard has Oregon winning it all this year. Nick Saban has Georgia beating Oregon in the championship.
Kirk Herbstreit also has Oregon beating Georgia in the national championship.
— Zachary Neel (@zacharycneel) August 24, 2024
Oregon begins the season as the No. 3 team in the country in both the coaches poll and the Associated Press poll.
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