Top Oregon Ducks Candidates for ESPN College GameDay Guest Picker

NFL Scheduling Adds to the Mystery

It's also important to note that for week 12 of the NFL season, which overlaps with Oregon's game against USC and GameDay's visit, that the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, and Washington Commanders all have bye weeks.

That means quarterbacks Justin Herbert, Bo Nix, Marcus Mariota, and all other former Oregon athletes that play for said teams will all be available that weekend if GameDay calls.

Below are some of Oregon Ducks on Sports Illustrated's guesses for who will be the GameDay choice for Oregon's second guest picker of the season.

No. 1 Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders Quarterback

The most obvious pick for guest picker, and arguably the choice that Duck fans would be the most excited over, quarterback Marcus Mariota, is currently on a bye week with the Washington Commanders.

Oregon's sole Heisman Trophy winner, and the first Asian-Pacific Islander winner of the prestigious award, Mariota is synonymous with the Ducks, receiving massive applause whenever he's mentioned during the in-stadium "Pro Ducks" segment during Duck home games. Mariota even has an entire building named after him just steps away from Autzen Stadium.

To further add fuel to the fire, Oregon is inducting Mariota to their hall of fame next week, and the Duck Store brought back the 2020 "Ohana" designs for fresh gear to honor Mariota's induction.

Though Mariota's eleventh season in the NFL as a backup quarterback for the Commanders hasn't yielded prime results, No. 8 is forever welcome in Eugene. Frankly, if Mariota isn't the guest picker, it would be a weird choice.

There's also the factor of travel fatigue for Mariota, as he just traveled to Madrid, Spain for his latest matchup, a 16-13 loss against the Miami Dolphins.

No. 2 Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers Quarterback

A Eugene, Oregon native, a hot topic in pop culture due to his relationship with pop star Madison Beer, and a young star quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers, Justin Herbert is also on a bye week, and like Mariota, Herbert feels like a no-brainer to be the guest picker.

Herbert even went viral this week online due to folks discovering he has a brother in the NFL, Jacksonville Jaguar tight end Patrick Herbert (who also played for Oregon). Herbert's girlfriend, Beer, also went viral recently for wearing a Ducks sweatshirt in paparazzi pictures.

However, there's one very strong reason Herbert could turn down the offer: the quarterback was injured on a third down play on Sunday against the Jaguars and headed to the locker room around halftime. Depending on Herbert's injury, he may stay with the team instead of being the guest picker.

So, is Beer available for guest picker?

No. 3 Bo Nix, Denver Broncos Quarterback

Yet another obvious pick due to the Denver Broncos being on a bye week, quarterback Bo Nix is yet another idea to fill the GameDay guest picker spot. The first rookie captain for the Broncos since the 1960's, Nix enters his sophomore year in the league with a bang, helping Denver get to 7-2 on the season so far.

No. 4 Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos Wide Receiver

A potential travel buddy for Nix, Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin is having a break out second season in the NFL. Franklin has 425 yards and 5 touchdowns on the season, including his most recent touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders at Mile High.

Nix and Franklin could do a double feature for GameDay (and maybe bring second-string offensive lineman and former Duck Calvin Throckmorton while they're at it).

No. 5 Neil Everett, Legendary Sports Anchor

When it comes to Oregon-related celebrities with current projects to promote and national relevancy, few come to mind quicker than former ESPN anchor Neil Everett.

Everett, a graduate of the University of Oregon in 1984, worked with ESPN for 23 years as primarily an anchor for the West Coast SportsCenter. He's also a Portland, Oregon, local from at least 2025, working with the Portland Trail Blazer's broadcast team.

On Sept. 9, Everett and fellow former SportsCenter anchor Stan Verrett launched their own Twitch sports show, "Stan and Neil Show," so Everett has a reason to go on the show to promote.

With his allegiance to the Ducks, connections to ESPN, local ties working for the Trail Blazers, and current project, there's a lot of reasons Everett might be the pick for the picks.

No. 6 Ty Burrell, Actor

One of Oregon's most recognizable non-athlete stars in the "modern" football era, "Modern Family" actor Ty Burrell most recently appeared at Oregon's game against Wisconsin, where he led the stadium in introducing the fourth quarter "Shout" celebration.

Burrell notably opens the new "Shout" video, filmed by Nike, where he shouts the iconic line, "Do you wanna dance?" during the "Animal House" toga party scene. His "Modern Family" costar, Julie Bowen, was also present at the Wisconsin game.

Burrell, a native of Grants Pass, Oregon, is frequently present at Oregon sporting events. He has never been a picker for GameDay.

It's also helpful to point out that Burrell is friendly with the Disney corporation, which owns ESPN and therefore GameDay, as he's acted in several of their properties including "Finding Dory" and multiple "Muppets" projects.

No. 7 Jim Belushi, Actor

An odd ball pick, but it makes sense for Oregon's culture. Actor Jim Belushi currently runs Belushi Farms, a weed farm in Eagle Point, Oregon.

Belushi is the brother of John Belushi, who plays John "Bluto" Blutarsky in the 1978 film "Animal House", which was filmed on the Oregon campus, the origin of the Ducks' "Shout" celebration. Belushi owns the "Animal House" weed dispensary near campus in Eugene.

An accomplished actor and creative himself, Belushi would be a GameDay guest that best highlights the uniqueness of Oregon's culture.