"Praying for Ben": CFB world joins hands in wishing College GameDay host as he reveals heart-wrenching struggles of his dog 

College GameDay heads to Eugene this weekend as Oregon takes on Ohio State at the Autzen Stadium. It's the first time the two teams are meeting in the Big Ten, creating a lot of anticipation.

Ahead of the College GameDay broadcast on Saturday, Oregon paid tribute to Kirk Herbstreit's famous dog, Ben. The Ducks had planned to celebrate the golden retriever on campus, but it didn't make the trip.

Kirk Herbstreit appreciated the kind gesture from Oregon on X and went on to explain to fans why the dog hasn't made the trip to Eugene for College GameDay this weekend.

“Really appreciate you thinking of Ben. Missed this week for treatment but will be back out next week,” Herbstreit wrote.

The update from Kirk Herbstreit has raised a bit of concern in the college football world. Ben has been a sensation in the landscape over the years after making several trips with Herbstreit. Here's a look at some of fan reactions to the update:

"Praying for Ben," one tweeted.

"Ben is in my thoughts and prayers. Your dog is amazing! I love watching him on TV," posted another.

Here are some more fan reactions:

"Praying for the best boy in College Football, Kirk," a fan wrote.

"Man, I hate hearing that. . I really do. . Ben is the best boy," another fan wrote.

"Oh Ben! Sending prayers. No greater love than a sweet golden," a fan commented.

"Praying for this sweet one!," another fan commented.

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Ben’s health status that made him miss College GameDay in Eugene

The college football offseason didn't go well for Ben. The golden retriever was diagnosed with a host of concerning health issues that required it to go through the blade. However, there has been significant improvement in its health since then.

Ben returned with Kirk Herbstreit this season on his trips for the coverage of College GameDay and Thursday Night Football for the NFL. The analyst shared the health status of the golden retriever on X earlier this season.

“(Ben) was diagnosed with leukemia in March and had major surgery in late July to remove 2 masses on his spleen and intestine. Both cancerous,” Herbstreit wrote on X. “Been a challenging offseason for Ben but he has had an incredible recovery in the last few weeks.

“Just so thankful he’s feeling better and able to travel with me. Honestly, I think being out and seeing people on the road really helps his spirit and gives him something to look forward to.”

Ben hasn't made the trip to Eugene for College GameDay this weekend for a good reason. The dog is said to be undergoing further treatment at the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center. Herbstreit commended the effort of the medical team on the dog.

The golden retriever is expected to be back on the pregame show next week. The venue for the Week 8 edition is yet unknown, but Austin and Knoxville appear to be the likely destinations.