WATCH: Oregon Ducks mascot leaves Pat McAfee in awe as he makes a dashing entrance on a motorcycle
ESPN host Pat McAfee was left speechless when the Oregon Ducks mascot made a stunning entrance on a roaring motorcycle. As McAfee stood on the sideline podium, the sound of the familiar engine revving behind him caught his attention.
“The Duck showed up on a motorcycle!” McAfee said. He then joked, “That sounds like about 1300 CCs!”
During “The Pat McAfee Show Live” on Friday, the Oregon Duck (aka Puddles) pulled up on a motorcycle to see McAfee ahead of ESPN's pregame show "College GameDay."
The Duck, sitting coolly on the back of the bike, took a lap around the gridiron in style. Admiring the moment, McAfee couldn’t help but shout:
“That’s a Harley Davidson! How you doing, Duck? Good to see you—(and) thank you for coming on a motorcycle!”
The stadium was empty as the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes prepared to lock horns at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Saturday. OSU is looking to take a big step toward returning to the Big Ten championship game for the first time in four years.
Earlier this year, the Oregon mascot went on a national tour to meet his new conference rivals. During his trip, he dropped by McAfee's show, shared a few tricks and even busted out an energetic dance.
The Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Oregon Ducks matchup will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, exclusively on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.
With both teams ranked in the top five, they’re eager to prove their national championship credentials and lock in their path to the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis this December.
Why does the Oregon Duck, Puddles, ride in on a motorcycle?
Ohio State fans will find out soon when the No. 2 Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) head to Eugene to face the No. 3 Ducks (5-0, 2-0) in what promises to be the weekend's biggest game.
At every home game in Autzen Stadium, a custom Oregon Harley-Davidson motorcycle leads the Ducks onto the field. Riders Arlen Rexius and Matt Hogan take turns driving, with Puddles perched on their backs. They took over for Doug Koke, who retired in 2022 after 23 years of leading the Ducks' charge.
This tradition began in 1997, two years after the Minnesota Vikings introduced a similar pregame ritual in the NFL. The first driver of the bike was Oregon legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Gary Zimmerman, who rode it for two years before Koke stepped in.
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