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Kirk Herbstreit Taken Aback by Unexpected Prediction on College GameDay

Kirk Herbstreit couldn't believe his eyes, or his ears, on College GameDay this weekend.
James Parks|
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kirk Herbstreit couldn’t believe his eyes, or his ears. Sitting on College GameDay this weekend, the veteran broadcaster heard Desmond Howard say something absolutely shocking.

Michigan won’t win this weekend.

That may not come as much of a surprise to most college football fans, but to hear Desmond Howard say it stunned Herbstreit on Saturday.

Moments after hearing Howard, a Michigan alum, pick Oregon to beat the Wolverines, Herbstreit had to get out of his chair and check on his friend and colleague.

Are you okay, Des?

Howard, who won the Heisman Trophy for Michigan, felt there was no other option than to take the Ducks against his school.

“This game feels like the same atmosphere after Michigan beat Western Michigan, going into that Oklahoma game and body giving them a chance or a prayer. I think the Ducks are still going to win this game,” Howard said on College GameDay.

Michigan is trending downward, fast

Desmond Howard basically always goes with Michigan, whoever they’re playing in a given weekend, so much so that Nick Saban has even called him a homer on the show. Saban would know, as he usually takes Alabama in any game it plays.

While it’s rare that we see it, Des going against his alma mater is something that has happened before on College GameDay, and this weekend, it feels warranted.

Not much has gone right for Michigan this year, losing four of its last six games, and stumbling into Autzen with a meager 2-4 record in Big Ten competition.

That included a shocking 15-6 loss to rival Michigan State a week ago that helped get Jason Beck, the highest-paid offensive coordinator in college football, fired.

So lousy have the Wolverines looked that speculation is already rampant that Kyle Whittingham could be looking for a new gig after just one year on the sideline.

Meanwhile, Oregon has life again

Kirk Herbstreit Taken Aback by Unexpected Prediction on College GameDay
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

On the contrary, the Ducks are playing meaningful football after parting ways with their previous offensive coordinator.

After parting ways with Drew Mehringer following a 1-2 midseason stretch, suddenly Oregon is 2-0 the last two times out, pulling out wins against ranked opponents in Northwestern and Ohio State, scoring 75 combined points in the process.

That’s enough to put the Ducks at No. 16 in the selection committee room, and facing possible contention for the Big Ten championship.

With all that before him, not even Michigan Man Desmond Howard can argue otherwise.

More: College GameDay Reveal Week 11 Predictions

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He has covered football for a decade, previously managing several team sites and publishing national content for 247Sports.com for five years. His work has also been published on CBSSports.com. He founded College Football HQ in 2020, and the site joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022 and the On SI network in 2024.

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