'Quack, quack': Desmond Howard sees big risk for Penn State vs Oregon Ducks on College GameDay

Aman Sharma

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'Quack, quack': Desmond Howard sees big risk for Penn State vs Oregon Ducks on College GameDay image

ESPN’s College GameDay rolled into Beaver Stadium for Penn State’s famed White Out ahead of Saturday’s top-five clash with Oregon.

With over 110,000 expected in University Park for one of the most anticipated games of the 2025 season, the stakes are enormous. No. 2 Penn State hosts No. 5 Oregon in a rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship game, a contest the Ducks won 45-37 to finish an undefeated regular season.

The winner will gain a major edge in the Big Ten title race and College Football Playoff picture.

Also read: 'Didn’t want us in?' Dan Lanning slams Big Ten as Oregon faces 15,000-mile grind

Howard’s “Quack, quack” moment highlights GameDay picks

The broadcast crew embraced the atmosphere by suiting up in all-white, while fans filled the backdrop with creative signs and chants.

 

Desmond Howard opened the predictions segment by showing off custom gloves before delivering his pick. He acknowledged Penn State’s offensive approach under Andy Kotelnicki, saying the coordinator “has kept things very vanilla” but warned the Nittany Lions of trouble.

“They’re gonna throw the kitchen sink at the Oregon Ducks, but the Oregon Ducks are in Happy Valley, and that means clear and present danger for the Nittany Lions. Quack, quack,” Howard said, before siding with Oregon.

 

The rest of the panel leaned heavily toward Penn State. Nick Saban predicted the Nittany Lions’ defense would set the tone, while Kirk Herbstreit expected Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen to control the ground game.

LaVar Arrington, the guest picker and former Penn State linebacker, unsurprisingly went with his alma mater and even forecasted additional upsets around the country. Pat McAfee, after learning about the White Out tradition from James Franklin, also backed Penn State.

In total, the GameDay crew voted 4-1 in favor of Penn State. Despite that, history offers intrigue.

James Franklin has a shaky record against top-five teams, though Penn State has won six straight White Out games, last losing the event to Ohio State in 2018. Saturday’s primetime showdown, broadcast at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, promises to be one of the defining matchups of the season

Aman Sharma

Aman Sharma is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over two years of experience covering the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, NFL and more. His stints at Sportskeeda, Pro Football Network and College Football Network captivated millions of readers.