Kirk Herbstreit Makes Bold Score Prediction for Oregon Ducks vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

College football analyst Kirk Herbstreit thinks that the Oregon Ducks could be in danger of suffering an upset loss at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Oct 16, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football game analyst Kirk Herbstreit stands on the field during halftime of the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Oregon Ducks will have a notable challenge in front of them when they take the field on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has made it clear that the Ducks are well aware of what Iowa is capable of, but the expectation remains that No. 9 Oregon will be able to handle business against No. 20 Iowa, even with some potential snowy weather likely to impact the game.

However, college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit isn't confident in the Ducks as some others might be, as he gave a sneak preview of which team he will be picking during ESPN's next College GameDay episode on Saturday.

Kirk Herbstreit Picking Iowa to Upset Oregon

Kirk Herbstreit speaks 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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During an appearance Thursday on the Pat McAfee Show, Herbstreit previewed the Oregon-Iowa matchup, picking the Hawkeyes to pull off the upset at home.

His score prediction? Iowa 16, Oregon 15.

Likely knowing that many Oregon and college football fans alike would disagree with him, Herbstreit jokingly tried to be "quiet" while making his prediction.

"Hey, shhhh. Oregon loses Saturday," Herbstreit whispered to the camera.

"Oregon loses Saturday."@KirkHerbstreit on @PatMcAfeeShow show. pic.twitter.com/I0MUJgRKnf

— Justin Hopkins 🦆🏈 (@JHopkinsSD) November 6, 2025

Herbstreit said he thinks that if it were a night game, he'd feel even more confident about picking Iowa to win. The Ducks just got all of the motivational ammo that they needed.

"I'm telling you, we all love Dan Lanning, we all love the Ducks and their potential, but there's just something about certain teams in Iowa when you go to November," Herbstreit said. "If it were a night game, it would be a given. It'd be a loss. ... 'm telling you, Iowa, typical Iowa, it's going to be ugly."

Lanning now has his soundbite to play to the team in the locker room before the game.

Iowa Has Dan Lanning's Attention

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Under Lanning's leadership, Oregon is not known as a team that will take any opponent lightly, and the matchup against Iowa is certainly no exception.

While some fans might think the contest will be a breeze for a talented Ducks roster, Lanning knows that coming away with a win will be a challenge.

"I've got a ton of respect for this Iowa team. You see veterans across the board. How they play, they're a real complete team. They are a team that beats you in all three phases, really tough in special teams with the return play. They have probably the best returner in college football right now. Their defense, they choke you out. They do a great job of taking away easy access. Their defensive line really stands out to me on film with the technique they play with," Lanning said.

Prior to the initial College Football Playoff rankings, Iowa was not ranked in the AP Poll, something that Lanning admitted "shocked" him.

"I'm shocked this team isn't ranked if you look at the way they have been playing, especially recently and the job they've done. They have jumped out really fast against a Minnesota team that plays good football and had a big win this past weekend. I think this team is not getting near enough credit that they deserve for the kind of team they are," Lanning said.

The Ducks still have the win over the Penn State Nittany Lions on their resume, but a victory over Iowa would certainly do wonders for an Oregon team that can't afford any slip-ups the rest of the regular season in order to feel comfortable about an at-large bid to the CFP.

No. 9 Oregon and No. 20 Iowa will kick off on Saturday from Iowa City at 12:30 p.m. PT.