Here's What Kirk Herbstreit Said on College GameDay
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — College GameDay is back on everyone's TV screens on Saturday mornings with Week 2 of the college football season, and with plenty of ranked matchups this week, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit had a lot to say on this week's slate of games.
GameDay was at the University of Texas-Austin for Texas versus No. 1 Alabama. The Crimson Tide are favored by 20.5 points, but Longhorn fans created an impressive atmosphere in anticipation of the Noon ET kickoff.
Here's the best of what Herbstreit said on GameDay:
On South Carolina at No. 16 Arkansas (-9) at Noon ET:
“It’s going to be very nasty and physical on the field ... Spencer Rattler is going to need time to throw and that is not good against Arkansas."
"Sam Pittman talked about the line of scrimmage. They're better than South Carolina on both sides so I'm going Arkansas."
On No. 24 Tennessee (-6) at No. 17 Pitt at 3:30 p.m. ET:
“Keep an eye on this game. I think Tennessee is brewing in the SEC East, as well.”
“I think we see a similar game to last year where 75 points were scored … We know Hendon Hooker is gonna get his, but the key to the game is if Kedon Slovis and his receivers stay up against that Tennessee secondary. That’s the key, but it’s a shootout."
"I think Kedon Slovis puts up big numbers, but Hendon Hooker puts up bigger numbers in a shootout. I'm going Tennessee."
On Marshall at No. 8 Notre Dame (-20.5) at 2:30 p.m. ET:
“Marshall-Notre Dame has that weird September feeling where you turn on in the third quarter and it’s 20-17? Oh, you think it’s going to be a blowout? No, Marshall can score. Be careful with this game.”
On Virginia at Illinois (-4) at 4 p.m. ET:
“Chase Brown can run the ball. They should have won in Bloomington, but four turnovers cost them last week.”
On Iowa State at Iowa (-3.5) at 4 p.m. ET:
“I like Iowa to keep beating up on Iowa State.”
On Arizona State at No. 11 Oklahoma State (-11.5) at 7:30 p.m. ET:
“Oklahoma State is always a forgotten brand. Other than Mike Gundy and the jokes people make about Mike Gundy, nobody in this crowd knows who Spencer Sanders is. Three year starting quarterback putting up over 500 yards of offense. Hopefully people start to pay attention. This is on the verge of a top 10 team every year or every other year and I think they win convincingly today over Arizona State."
On No. 20 Kentucky at No. 12 Florida (-6) at 7 p.m. ET:
“I still think back to Levis when he was at Penn State, I think it was in ‘19, and he was a short-yardage quarterback like a tight end playing quarterback. The amount of development he’s had in Lexington is unbelievable. I think he’s way beyond where we see Anthony Richardson. Anthony Richardson might be the most physically talented quarterback, physically, but is he able to be consistent this early in his career? We’ll see.”
"Kentucky. This is a game built for Mark Stoops, chip on their shoulder, they don't feel the respect, they win in the Swamp."
On No. 1 Alabama (-21) at Texas at Noon ET:
"The thing is [Quinn Ewers] doesn't have a lot of experience. Everybody's going to talk about Dallas Turner and Will Anderson pressuring him, but it's the back end. The pre-snap look in cover two and then the snap they're playing man free. That third and eight when they're showing blitz from his left, snap the ball and they drop and they come from over here. Just not having the reps to recognize it, that's my biggest concern and I'm sure that's Sark's biggest concern. What's the answer to that? Stay on schedule. Second and seven, third and three, if you get to third and eight a lot today, the game is over. They have no chance."
"To me, it's the guys around Bryce Young this is a chance for them on a big stage to show the 2022 Alabama offense is ready to roll."
"I think the emotions will keep Texas in the game, but eventually that will subside. I think there's too much playmaking ability from Alabama and I think the secondary confuses Quinn Ewers. I like Bama."
On No. 9 Baylor at No. 21 BYU (-2.5) at 10:15 p.m. ET:
"[Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen] is incredibly athletic with what he can do and I think we learned a lot last week about how he can handle the two-minute offense at the end of the half. So, run the ball, run the ball, and when you do, you get some early down play action, the safeties and backers get their eyes in the back field. Split-zone look, safeties are thinking run and all of a sudden they're bailing and getting back and it's too late. There's the arm strength ... I think the situational awareness this kid as a young quarterback demonstrates, not panicking, buys a little time to convert on third and 11 ... To me, it's the balance and a young moxie quarterback in Blake Shapen, they're going up against a veteran team in BYU, all 11 back on defense. This feels like a low scoring game in a tough environment. I'm going with the youth of Baylor to win the game."
On Missouri at Kansas State (-7) at Noon ET:
"[Luther Burden III, the No. 1 WR in Class of 2022] is a rare, elite recruit they talked into coming into Columbia."
Related stories on Indiana football:
- LEE CORSO PODCAST: Lee Corso turned 87 years old two weeks ago, and he's still going strong. He coached at Indiana for 10 years from 1973 to 1982 and and has been entertaining the masses on ESPN's ''College Gameday'' show since 1987. Here's never done a podcast before, but he sat down with Terry Tallen and I last month and was pure gold for nearly an hour. CLICK HERE
- WHAT PAT MCAFEE SAID: The college football slate is full of intriguing matchups on Saturday, and former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee has joined the ESPN College GameDay crew. Here's the best of what McAfee said. CLICK HERE
- HOW TO WATCH: Indiana football hosts the Idaho Vandals on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. for a Week 2 matchup. The Hoosiers are coming off a 23-20 win over Illinois in Week 1, and Idaho kept things close at Washington State in a 24-17 loss. Here's how to watch, with game time and TV information, the latest on the point spread and three things to see from Indiana. CLICK HERE
- GAMEDAY PREDICTION: The Indiana football team hosts the Idaho Vandals on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium in Week 2. Tom Allen and the Hoosiers won a crucial game against Illinois last week, but will need to refocus heading into a matchup with a brand new Idaho team led by coach Jason Eck. CLICK HERE
