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ESPN's 'College GameDay' Reveals Picks for Illinois Football vs. Indiana

Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee and the rest of ESPN's "College GameDay" crew predicted Illinois-Indiana – and the results may surprise you
Jason Langendorf|
Pat McAfee, right, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.
Pat McAfee, right, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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There's no getting around it: The decision among ESPN suits to send "College GameDay" to Coral Gables, Florida, for a matchup between fourth-ranked Miami and a 1-2 Florida squad was a big miss: The real heat in the college football universe this weekend is in Bloomington, Indiana, where No. 9 Illinois will be hosted by No. 19 Indiana (6:30 p.m. CT, NBC) in a battle of unbeaten Big Ten up-and-comers.

Fans wasted little time letting it be known. ESPN's choice was met with more than a little online derision – and not only from the inhabitants of Illini Nation. Miami-Florida is an excellent rivalry when both teams are somewhere near full strength, but how does the network whiff on the opportunity to celebrate a top-10 team against a College Football Playoff entry from last season – both of them 3-0 and with legitimate CFP hopes for 2025 – in a Big Ten matchup featuring programs on the cusp of powerhouse status?

No reason to linger on it any longer, especially when the "College GameDay" crew had their picks to reveal for Saturday's top games – including Illinois at Indiana. Joining the regulars – host Reece Davis and analysts Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit – on the stage in Miami Gardens was celebrity guest picker Keith Tkachuk of the NHL's Florida Panthers. Here's how they picked 'em for the Illini-Hoosiers game:

Desmond Howard: Illinois

Nick Saban: Illinois

Pat McAfee: Indiana

Matthew Tkachuk: Illinois

Kirk Herbstreit: Illinois

Not a huge stunner given that Illinois is ranked ninth and has an experienced group led by an excellent quarterback in Luke Altmyer and a respected coaching staff. Still, Indiana is coming off an 11-win season, is led by an NFL-caliber quarterback in Fernando Mendoza and will have a home-field edge Saturday. Already favored by ESPN's metrics-based Football Power Index and oddsmakers going into the week, the Hoosiers saw the line move further in their direction – making them favorites by roughly a touchdown – after news of Xavier Scott's injury landed.

McAfee shouldn't be considered a college football Nostradamus if Indiana holds it down at home, and the rest of the GameDay guys shouldn't get too smug if Illinois pulls it out. This is a pick-'em game that, with any luck, will live up to its deservedly lofty billing – even if ESPN's shot callers were somehow too blind to see it.

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Jason Langendorf
JASON LANGENDORF

Jason Langendorf has covered Illinois basketball, football and more for Illinois on SI since October 2024, and has covered Illini sports – among other subjects – for 30 years. A veteran of ESPN and Sporting News, he has published work in The Guardian, Vice, Chicago Sun-Times and many other outlets. He is currently also the U.S. editor at BoxingScene and a judge for the annual BWAA writing awards. He can be followed and reached on X and Bluesky @JasonLangendorf.

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