What Did College GameDay Say About Oregon Ducks, Penn State In Big Ten Championship Game?

In addition to the Oregon Ducks and Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Championship, the rest of the country's conferences also play title games on Saturday. ESPN's College GameDay was in Atlanta, Georgia, still covering Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel and coach Dan Lanning.

Signs during ESPN’s “College GameDay” Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After 15 weeks of football, it’s finally time for Championship Saturday. The Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12 conference championships all occur today, deciding the fate of the college football playoff rankings and cementing history during a year filled with new traditions. ESPN’s College GameDay was spent breaking down each major matchup and the stories that come along with them.

So, how many times were the No. 1 Oregon Ducks mentioned on College GameDay before their appearance in the Big Ten Championship to take on the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions?

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel takes a snap as the No. 1 Oregon Ducks host the Washington Huskies Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The first mention came right off the top of the show. 

“Tez Johnson is back,” analyst Kirk Herbstreit said. “This will be a big factor because they love to get the ball in space. Penn State’s defense has got to do a good job of applying pressure. Abdul Carter, Big Ten defensive player of the year, and of course the big fella [tight end Tyler Warren] can we get him the football. Tyler Warren could be the difference if Penn State hangs around.”

Halfway through the show, Oregon coach Dan Lanning called into the show for an in-depth interview. Lanning talked about his team's mentality and the keys to beating Penn State.

At the top of the two hour mark, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel was the focus of a feature story detailing his journey to the “O”.

Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel leaps into the end zone fr a touchdown during the second quarter against Illinois at Autzen Stadium. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“It actually helped me knowing it’s my last year, that this is it,” Gabriel said, describing his transfer to Oregon.

“He’s not all about the flash, he’s about substance,” tight end Terrance Ferguson said about Dillon Gabriel, while referencing Lanning’s famous speech about the Colorado Buffaloes. Ferguson has become Gabriel’s best friend since the quarterback transferred to Oregon.

The feature dove into Gabriel’s choice to drive a Chrysler Minivan as his car of choice. 

“Man, you look like somebody’s uncle over here,” center Iapani “Poncho” Lalolou said of Gabriel’s choice of car.

Gabriel explained his car is one of many ways he tries to get his teammates to bond together. The piece also explained his efforts for his home school of Mililani High School, and how Gabriel and a few Duck teammates took a trip to continue to make an impact.

Nov 30, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) celebrates with family during a senior recognizing ceremony before a game against the Washington Huskies at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

“This game is so short for many people and you try to maximize that time you have but those relationships will stick with you for a lifetime if you do it the right way,” Gabriel said.

“Dillon Gabriel has been operating at a luxury ride level,” analyst Rece Davis said after the story aired.

The show then transitioned to a story covering the upcoming matchup between the Ducks and the Nittany Lions, one of two top ten matchups tonight.

“I think Penn State’s offense has so many dynamic weapons like their ability to run the ball, getting explosive plays off of shots, there’s a real challenge,” Lanning said in the recap.

After the short recap, the College Gameday analysts discussed the upcoming game.

The Oregon Ducks went undefeated in their first season in the Big Ten. / Ben Lonergan / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I think most people are going to look at this game like Penn State’s physicality, because that how you kind of ‘view’ Penn State, and Oregon’s sort of ‘speed’ but I would beg to differ about Oregon. They have speed, and I think everybody recognizes that but this team has played physical especially on defense,” analyst Nick Saban said.

“And I really don’t know if they have those perimeter players for Penn State,” analyst Kirk Herbstreit added. “To really capitalize one on one. I think Warren becomes big, I think Nick Singleton becomes really big. But we keep talking about Tyler Warren for good reason. Its pretty obvious he’s got to get his hands on the ball. When they played Ohio State, they weren't able to move him around - feature him and in this game I think we’re all pretty much seeing the same thing.”

ESPN's Pat McAfee highlighted Oregon’s defense, including Bryce Boettcher, Jordan Burch, and Kobe Savage, and how physical this team has been on the defensive side of the ball. Davis pointed out that before Savage transferred to Oregon, he played Penn State’s offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki when he coached for the Kansas Jayhawks.

Finally, to end the show, the analysts and guest picker actor Timothée Chalamet came together to ceremoniously choose their favorites for each matchup. Though analyst Stanford Steve chose Penn State to win earlier in the broadcast, all of the analysts and Chalamet chose Oregon to win. However, the entire cast believes the Big Ten title game will be a close one.

Whole Gameday crew picks Oregon over Penn State today pic.twitter.com/Gn9qdbVMFy

— Penn State FB Thoughts (@PSU_FB_Thoughts) December 7, 2024

The Ducks kick off against the Nittany Lions on Saturday night at 5 p.m. PT in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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