Saturdays don’t feel the same without Kirk Herbstreit breaking down the major games on College GameDay, but this Saturday, fans in Eugene, Oregon, saw him leave the sets early again in the top-10 clash between the No. 3 Oregon Ducks and No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers. The ESPN veteran is packing up mid-show for the second year in a row, and it’s not because he wants to skip the picks section. And fans were left wondering what could have come up with ESPN’s favorite analyst.

In a recent X post, Bill Hofheimer, VP ESPN PR, wrote, “This is the second straight year, @KirkHerbstreitis leaving @CollegeGameDay in Eugene a bit early to make it to Dallas to call the Red River Rivalry game. In all, Kirk is traveling 5,400+ miles this football weekend.” It was basically a cross-country sprint for Kirk Herbstreit on Saturday. He was forced to leave the stage midway through College GameDay in Eugene, not due to an emergency or injury, but rather because the famous Red River Rivalry was calling him.

His co-hosts laughed when he said on-air, “I have to go to the State Fair in Texas.” Fans were shown a hilarious and chaotic clip of Herbstreit being driven away by the Oregon Ducks mascot on his motorcycle and then getting into a car that was headed to the airport. Even his dog, Peter, joined him for the trip, and fans got a glimpse of some behind-the-scenes chaotic life of analysts. This week’s schedule for Herbstreit is legendary as he hosted Thursday Night Football in New Jersey, then arrived in Eugene for GameDay, and then will fly to Dallas for the Texas-Oklahoma game.

Herbstriet has accepted everything with a mix of fun and gratitude, as the ESPN VP announced it as all being a part of a “5,400-mile” weekend. In an earlier conference call, Herbstriet said, “I’ve tried to stay incredibly grateful and positive…It’s so easy to complain… but once you accept that nobody cares, you don’t need to complain.” Even after all the chaos, Herbstreit ensures that he remains a part of the GameDay crew at Eugene by joining the group from the car on the way to the airport and promising to make his weekly picks on the flight. And this truly proves that he is a guy who lives and breathes football.

Dallas prepares for QB battle, Manning struggles, and defensive power clash

As the game approaches, the Red River Rivalry hype, which was advertised for months as a battle between John Mateer and Arch Manning, is turning out to be exactly that way. Manning still struggles to find his rhythm and bears the burden of his legendary name. For him, every snap has had more mental pressure than physical. However, Mateer’s hand injury initially kept him from participating in full practice, so Oklahoma fans and Vegas oddsmakers are left wondering who will really start. But since he was out practicing, there is a high probability that he’ll play. Mateer is “going through his normal protocol,” according to Brent Venables, so as a backup, Michael Hawkins Jr. may start.

Even if Hawkins is chosen, Mateer’s leadership will be difficult to replicate. Although Hawkins threw three touchdowns in a 44-0 victory over Kansas State, Texas is truly a solid opponent. Mateer’s ability to motivate teammates, control the offense, and extend plays has been the backbone of Oklahoma’s 5-0 lead in the season. Manning, however, hasn’t exactly silenced his critics till now. He already has five interceptions in five games and the 94th-highest completion rate across the country. Even though Texas is favored by 2.5 points, the line may soon shift in Oklahoma’s advantage as Mateer looks ready to start.

But Oklahoma really excels on defense. When it comes to the front-seven, Jim Nagy has been outspoken, tweeting that 48% of opponents’ plays have ended in 0 yards or less through Week 7. Under Venables’ leadership, the Sooners have become a quarterback’s nightmare, as this team leads all Power 4 teams in sacks with 21. “The whole thing behind that mindset is this… No matter what, we’re here to play,” said senior DT Gracen Halton. Venables understands Texas is not Kansas State and wants his squad ready for the Red River Rivalry game, so even with Manning leading the team, he isn’t taking any chances.