Dan Lanning's Message for Pat McAfee Ahead of Ohio State-Oregon Says It All

With the highly anticipated college football showdown in Eugene, Oregon, just around the corner, ESPN " College GameDay " analyst and host of the " Pat McAfee Show ," Pat McAfee , sat down for an exclusive interview with Oregon head coach Dan Lanning .

As the excitement builds for the clash between the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes and the No. 3 Oregon Ducks , Lanning offers candid insights about the upcoming matchup, emphasizing the significance of the game as the headlining event of the weekend and one of the most compelling matchups of the entire season.

"This is what college football's about... I'm really excited for our team, certainly excited for our fans. Lanning said to McAfee.

Dan Lanning has done an extraordinary job reviving the Oregon football program, historically one of the best, and bringing it back to prominence. Now, in their first season as a member of the Big Ten conference, the Ducks are preparing for their biggest matchup of the season against Ohio State, a team that has been a staple of the conference for decades.

However, in their last meeting, Oregon triumphed over the Buckeyes in Columbus during an early-season showdown. Despite that victory, the Ducks are currently 1-4 against the spread this season and have entered as slight underdogs according to DraftKings Sportsbook .

Both teams remain unbeaten, and anticipation for this showdown—set to be televised on NBC —is reaching new heights. NBC announced that this will be the first top-3 matchup they’ve covered since 1993, which was a matchup between Florida State and Notre Dame which many call the "Game of the Century," adding to the significance of the matchup taking place Saturday night in Autzen Stadium.

With "College GameDay" arriving on campus Friday morning, the energy is palpable. The show is scheduled to kick off at 6 a.m. Pacific Time on the Oregon campus, while maintaining its usual 9 a.m. start on the East Coast.

Related: Joel Klatt Makes His Prediction for Ohio State-Oregon Showdown on Saturday