ESPN College GameDay crew has some Oklahoma believers vs Alabama

There were some experts along the ESPN College GameDay desk who believe in Sooner Magic.

With their College Football Playoff lives on the line, the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners go to Tuscaloosa as underdogs against No. 4 Alabama at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday on ABC. Although there's a fair argument College GameDay should have been in Tuscaloosa this weekend, the crew made their picks from inside Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, right before No. 22 Pitt played No. 9 Notre Dame.

Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit pick Sooners to upset Crimson Tide

Considering the Sooners are underdogs dealing with multiple injuries, it looked like it could be a clean sweep of the entire cast picking the Crimson Tide to roll the Sooners. As expected, Desmond Howard and Nick Saban chose Alabama with the first predictions. Howard never picks the Sooners, and the game will be played on Nick Saban Field, so everyone knew who the former Bama coach would go with. Both did say they expect a close game, though.

"I gotta live there," Saban joked.

After giving Saban a hard time for obviously siding with the Crimson Tide, Pat McAfee was then the first cast member to predict an upset in Tuscaloosa. McAfee has appeared to be a big fan of the Sooners all season, especially quarterback John Mateer.

"I think (Brent) Venables' defense is ready for it," McAfee said. "I think Mateer is playing his best ball. Give me Oklahoma to go in on Saban Field and get a win over Alabama."

Guest picker and NFL great Aaron Donald picked Bama, but, surprisingly, Kirk Herbstreit agreed with McAfee to become the second one to predict an upset in the Sooners' favor.

"I think, even with R Mason Thomas down, Brent Venables has had two weeks to get ready for this offense," Herbstreit said. "I think he's going to do a very good job of affecting (Alabama QB) Ty Simpson. And I believe Oklahoma travels into Tuscaloosa and gets it done. I'm going Sooners."