Kirk Herbstreit wasn’t exactly in a friendly land at that exact moment. He knew it. Joe Namath, rocking Alabama gear, was sitting on the same set.

Still, the ESPN “GameDay” analyst was talking about Saturday night’s Auburn-Cal game, which will be live streamed on fuboTV (free trial), SlingTV (half off first month) and DirecTV Stream (free trial).

He was the last to make his pick on the game and didn’t even realize he wasn’t alone in his pick for the Tigers.

“Am I the only one who is going to say, ‘War Eagle,’” he said before he was told he wasn’t alone. “I’m going to say ‘War Eagle’ right here in Tuscaloosa. I apologize. Auburn and Hugh Freeze a slow start, but they get things going today. I like Auburn to win.”

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Desmond Howard also picked the Tigers to take down their Pac 12 opponent.

“I think Auburn’s going to establish the run against Cal,” he said. “Auburn will win a close one.”

The run game – or the run defense – is the big reason Pat McAfee is picking Cal, though.

“I think the big stat of the day is that last week Auburn gave up 5 yards a tote from UMass,” he said. “Cal rushed for 357 yards as a team. Give me the Cal Bears.”

Namath didn’t pull punches about where his allegiance lies.

“I want to be honest,” he said. “I’ve never pulled for A-burn. They have to make that long trip out there. I think Cal’s going to get them.”

“It’s a long way from Auburn to Berkley: Cal,” Lee Corso added.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.