ESPN's College GameDay Crew Makes its Picks for Illinois vs. Oregon

See what the experts predict when the No. 20 Illini face the top-ranked Ducks in Eugene

Pat McAfee Nick Saban, and Lee Corso before live broadcast during ESPN Gameday near Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, S.C. Saturday, September 14, 2024. | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 1 Oregon welcomes No. 20 Illinois into Eugene's Autzen Stadium on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS) in a highly anticipated ranked-versus-ranked matchup.

The program have met on the field on only three occasions total, with the last matchup coming 29 years ago in a 34-31 Oregon victory at Autzen Stadium.

Fast forward nearly three decades, and to a newly aligned college football world, and this Illinois-Oregon clash is now a Big Ten showdown.

Time to go 1-0.#Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/964so812sU

— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) October 26, 2024

This game is business as usual for Oregon, which is 7-0, ranked as the best team in the country and favored by three touchdowns. The Ducks are expected to manhandle the Illini.

It’s a different story for Illinois, 6-1 (3-1 Big Ten) and still building on one of the best starts in Champaign since the turn of the century. For the Illini, the Oregon game serves as an opportunity to launch themselves into true national contention.

By now, even the most cynical Illini fans are holding out hope for an upset – but not everyone is a believer. Here were today's Illinois-Oregon picks from the ESPN College GameDay crew:

Desmond Howard: Oregon

Nick Saban: Oregon

Pat McAfee: Oregon

Lee Corso: Oregon

Kirk Herbstreit: Oregon

Kyle Schwarber (celebrity guest): Oregon

As a surprise to just about nobody, the Ducks were picked unanimously across the board. Yes, the Illini face a tall task today and will need their best performance of the season to topple college football's top-ranked team. But we've seen this movie before – and sometimes, against all odds,the hero wins.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Urban Meyer Breaks Down the Bret Bielema Effect at Illinois

Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Offers High Praise for Illinois' Bret Bielema

How Illinois Football Can Pull Off the Upset Against No. 1 Oregon