Every week fans wait for their favorite teams to fight each other. However, one more thing, fans wait patiently with games is ESPN’s game day! Last year it was a big hit, but this year the show offers a glimpse of Nick Saban, which makes it even thrilling. Indiana Hoosiers are on cloud nine right now, with College GameDay joining them for the first time in the program’s history. The sensation of the game day Nick Saban is yet again here with his trait of making waves. This time, his sharp mind caught a similarity between Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and one of his former star quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa.
“I think the first thing is the guy has lots of experience. He’s got lots of poise. He’s very instinctive at reading coverages, getting the ball out of his hand quickly. And he’s very accurate,” Nick Saban said while praising Dillon Gabriel. “This guy is a complete player. He’s got a lot of grit. He reminds me of another Hawaiian quarterback we had, Tua [Tagovailoa]. And I think he’s going to be an outstanding pro player. I like that type—left-handed, Hawaiian. Yeah, it works out.”
Saban praised the 6th-year senior who led the Ducks with a 7-0 unbeatable record for the seven games they played. On top of that, he contributed to his team, throwing for 2080 yards and 15 touchdowns. Do you know about his Heisman odds? Well, he stands second in the Heisman race among QBs, falling behind Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
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Moreover, when Saban praised Gabriel, one of his co-stars, on College GameDay, Desmond Howard also agreed with him, saying, “I like Dillon Gabriel.” Besides that, it’s interesting to note that although the CGD crew was in Indiana, they kept talking about Oregon Ducks! Why not? After all, the Ducks hold no. 1 position in the nation right now. What about their game today?
Dillon Gabriel and his mates in the game against Illinois
The current AP poll top position holders, the Ducks, are one of the 10 only remaining teams right now that holds an undefeated title in the nation. With that, Oregon is entering this game following an over-the-top 350 victory over Purdue last weekend. The team they’re going to face today, Illinois, is coming off of a 21-7 victory over the then no. 24 ranked Michigan.
As they say, this season is all about underdogs jumping big and major programs falling short. Illinois will play against a ranked team for the first time in years. Back in 2007, they had won a game against Ohio State. But with Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel on the other side, it would be a tough nut to crack for Illinois.
Dillon Gabriel is currently the top QB in the nation, with a 77.0% completion rate. He averaged 297.2 passing yards each game and had 15 passing touchdowns and four rushing scores. With all that, Dillon Gabriel’s odds of winning the Heisman this year are also quite high. Today’s win over Illinois will further solidify his chances and Oregon’s unbeatable status for yet another week.
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Is Dillon Gabriel the next Tua Tagovailoa, or is Saban's comparison just wishful thinking?
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Is Dillon Gabriel the next Tua Tagovailoa, or is Saban's comparison just wishful thinking?
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