Predicting Oregon's College Gameday Guest Picker

And they’re back. I’m talking about ESPN’s College Gameday returning to Eugene for the second time this season.

Duck fans better rest up this week and get ready for an early Saturday filled with fun and football. And hopefully, a big win over USC.

Earlier this season Oregon hosted ESPN College Gameday when they hosted Indiana back in October. For that broadcast the famous Oregon alum featured was none other than WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu. She’s no stranger to Gameday as this was not her first appearance on the show.

Although Gameday is returning for a second time this season, I highly doubt they will duplicate the show with the same guest picker. So it feels safe to cross Ionescu off the list. Although I wouldn’t be surprised to see her in Eugene for Gameday.

Let’s take a quick look at a few obvious names that could be the next picker.

Marcus Mariota

This is the name many of us speculate with the Ohana apparel making its way back onto shelves this week. There are very few coincidences in life but this could just be one of those rare coincidences. Marcus Mariota was already scheduled to be inducted into the Oregon hall of fame next week.

And as luck would have it, his current NFL team, the Washington Commanders, are on a bye this week. That’s two coincidences in the same week.

On the flip side however, his NFL career hasn’t been nearly as successful as his college career. While at Oregon he won a Heisman and put up points by the second. At the moment he is filling in for an injured Jayden Daniels but his role is primarily being a backup.

So while Mariota is a beloved former Duck among the Oregon community, he’s not quite as high profile outside that circle.

Justin Herbert

As luck would also have it, the Chargers are on a bye this weekend too. So at the very least, it feels like ESPN has options and might have been a huge key in them coming back to Oregon a second time.

Justin Herbert makes a lot of sense given his success in the NFL. He’s widely regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the league despite the Chargers record. Every week feels like another game we’re reminded of just how much talent Herbert has.

He’s a Eugene native and being on the show would mean a lot to him, his family and his community. I think that could make for a special show. He’s also never been a guest picker.

It also helps his current girlfriend is pop sensation Madison Beer. Which makes them a very high profile couple like Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

Maybe they request the power couple both make an appearance on Gameday to capture a wider audience.

Bo Nix

Yes, this is the third former Oregon quarterback in the NFL with a bye this weekend. Bo Nix has really started to win fans over with his play in Denver the past two seasons. Especially with the thrilling win over the Chiefs on Sunday.

Nix was a transfer however which doesn’t mean anything negative. He just might have conflicting ties whereas Mariota and Herbert do not.

Of the three, it feels like this would be the least likely choice for ESPN but he’s definitely worth listing. I suppose you could also list Troy Franklin which would make for a fun episode. However I don’t think this ‘power couple’ carries the firepower of Herbert and Madison.

Kaitlin Olson

The first non-former athlete on the list. As you’ll recall, Olson was featured on ESPN Gameday as the guest picker back in October of 2024 ahead of the Ohio State game. She was a surprise to many when first revealed but she really stole the show.

This one would continue to make a lot of sense given her affiliation with ABC/ESPN/Disney. It currently feels like more of a long shot but she was a very pleasant surprise last year.

Phil Knight

As we know, Phil is not getting any younger. He’s eager to win a national championship at Oregon and has so many ties to the program. Earlier this year Oregon honored Phil with the ‘Shoe Dog’ concept uniforms.

Knight has been a guest picker before but it was all the way back in 2009. There is a reality he might not be fit for another appearance which makes him an interesting pick.

But oh my what a show it would be to have Phil on the broadcast with a surprise appearance from Lee Corso. The two are absolute pillars of college football and would make for an amazing Gameday experience.

A guy can dream.

Ty Burrell

Not much of a surprise prediction here. As many know, Burrell is a well-known actor and has ties to the Disney (ABC/ESPN) family. So there would be a natural connection there.

The key is this however, the guest picker has to be high profile and appeal to a very wide demographic. And while we all love Ty and know him well, I’m not sure if he fits the profile as much as others listed above.

Furthermore, ESPN has shown they don’t really care if you have ties to the hosting school or not. We’ve seen Theo Von (Bama) and Nate Bargatze (Vandy) pick this year at schools they don’t necessarily have deep ties with.