Kirk Herbstreit hints at preseason prediction for 2024 national champion
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Kirk Herbstreit is gearing up for another season of college football coverage, and he’s getting closer to naming a preseason pick to win the national title.
On Wednesday, Herbstreit made an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss a variety of topics, including some of the key teams to watch this fall. In the process, the popular analyst for ESPN hinted that he may eventually pick Dan Lanning’s Oregon program to win it all.
“Look out for ol’ Oregon. Look out for the ol’ Oregon Duck… I may have Oregon winning it all,” said Herbstreit.
After that comment drew a chorus of shocked reactions, Herbstreit reiterated it was simply a possibility and not a firm prediction at this point in time:
“If you quote my ass on that, I said: ‘I may have Oregon winning it all,'” Herbstreit clarified.
“I MAY have Oregon winning it all.” @PatMcAfeeShow and the boys weren’t expecting that from @KirkHerbstreit pic.twitter.com/VEWh9k1F9D
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) July 24, 2024
Though Oregon has yet to play a snap of Big Ten football, picking the Ducks to win it all would not be a prediction out of left field. Oregon is +800 in the latest national championship odds produced by DraftKings, and that has the Ducks tied with Texas for the 3rd-best odds to win it all this fall.
Only Georgia (+300) and Ohio State (+400) have better odds to win the championship while Alabama (+1400) and Ole Miss (+1500) are the programs listed directly behind the Ducks.
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Oregon is also moving forward with a new starting quarterback this fall after Bo Nix’s departure to the NFL. However, that starter just happens to be former Oklahoma and UCF star Dillon Gabriel, the latest preseason favorite in the Heisman Trophy odds for the 2024 season.
Add Gabriel to the mix of a foundational core established by Lanning, and it’s not hard to see why Oregon is being considered by Herbstreit as his pick to win it all. We’ll see if his tune stays the same when the start of the season rolls around.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
