Oregonian beat writer James Crepea notes that for ESPN College Football GameDay's return trip to Eugene Saturday, it happens that on the NFL schedule, the Broncos, Chargers and Commanders all have bye weeks.
Nothing has been announced, but there's an Oregon-yellow opportunity for the Ducks to have Bo Nix, Justin Herbert and Marcus Mariota in town as special guests for a showdown with USC that has playoff implications.
It'd be appointment television if the three legendary Webfoot quarterbacks made it to Eugene as guest pickers on the show, a huge showcase for Oregon football recruiting and the program's growing reputation as Quarterback U.
Nix and Herbert are a combined 15-5 in the AFC West. Mariota is in his 11th season in the NFL, 11 years after winning the Heisman Trophy.
All three have shown a great devotion to the program that launched their careers and have made frequent trips back to their college football home since moving on to the league. Nix and Herbert dropped in for Pro Day last spring. Mariota has been an honorary coach at the Spring Game.
But to have all three on the sidelines for the SC clash, or on the desk at the GameDay set would be dynamic, a fitting way to celebrate one of the best quarterback traditions in college football, particularly on Senior Day. It would also be a show of support for Dante Moore, who just broke Mariota's single game passing record with 90 percent accuracy against Minnesota, 27-30 for 306 yards.
Herbert's family lives a couple of miles from the Stadium and he could be bringing his new girlfriend home for Thanksgiving. All around, it would add a fun element of "Ohana" to a big game, particularly if Dillon Gabriel chimed in with a stadium video message.
Few teams do as consistent a job as the Ducks in welcoming and honoring alumni into the football program.
— Travis Rooke-Ley (@travisrookeley) November 16, 2025
It's also the weekend that Marcus Mariota is being inducted into the UO Athletic Hall of Fame.