“College GameDay” is supposed to be the ultimate Saturday morning ritual, a pep rally that CFB fans look forward to every week. And, for what it’s worth, the ESPN show is on track for its most-watched season ever, averaging around 2.8 million viewers per episode. However, not all the attention has been positive, especially when it comes to the scrutiny surrounding Pat McAfee.
McAfee has faced growing criticism for his antics on the show, including his loud on-air style, ripping off his shirts in front of college students, public spats on social media and defensive responses to criticism.
This week, after McAfee and the “GameDay” crew visited South Bend, Indiana, the backlash continued, with fans taking issue with his comments during a discussion about Nick Saban and the SEC.
CFB Fans Bash Pat McAfee and ESPN Over SEC Bias on ‘College GameDay’
Saban’s recent comments about the SEC came up again during “GameDay.” He had talked about his love for the conference just days earlier on the “Pat McAfee Show,” while also mentioning his time coaching in the Big Ten.
“I coached in the Big 10 for a long time… I think it’s a great league, but I love the SEC,” Saban said.
Later, during his “Gameday” appearance ahead of the Miami Hurricanes’ matchup with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Saban made it clear where his loyalty lies, saying, “Since I am an SEC guy, I am all for Notre Dame.” He was picking the Fighting Irish because a Notre Dame win would help the SEC’s chances of getting more teams into the 12-team playoff, potentially at the expense of the Big Ten.
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McAfee brought the exchange up on X and took a dig at Saban for leaving the Big Ten. That, along with the discussion about the SEC, didn’t sit well with some fans.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign head coach Bret Bielema wrote, “Love all that ‘GameDay’ has done for CFB, but hoping people realize that the last few years things have changed. Everyone can build rosters and hire good coaches. Every week is a new opportunity, and reality matters. Judge CFB since the transfer portal and revenue share began. Reality matters.”
One fan responded to Bielema’s post by taking aim at ESPN’s coverage of college football and McAfee’s role on the show. They argued that the network’s relationship with the SEC has affected “GameDay.”
“Change is inevitable. Sure. But ‘College Gameday’ on ESPN is so slanted toward the SEC because of ESPN’s deal with the SEC. Unfortunately, Pat McAfee has ruined a great show,” they wrote.
McAfee’s approach has also drawn criticism from viewers who prefer traditional football analysis. Ron Mintz shared that frustration directly, posting, “Pat McAfee has ruined College Game Day for me.”
Matthew Stevens, a football writer and analyst for IlliniGuys, didn’t think McAfee was the reason behind the show’s alleged SEC bias. He pointed the finger at Saban instead, who joined the ESPN show in 2024.
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Stevens wrote, “I would argue the current ‘College Gameday’ show isn’t slanted toward the SEC because of Pat McAfee. It’s Nick Saban who intentionally slants it toward the SEC. McAfee simply slants the show towards dumb.”
Meanwhile, The Athletic’s senior national college football writer David Ubben brought up another reason McAfee has been catching heat lately: the lingering fallout from his visit to Utah.
The controversy started when the university’s social media account posted a video of students calling out McAfee. McAfee said the video made him uncomfortable, prompting Utah to apologize and delete the post. But that didn’t put an end to the jokes.
This week, fans took the joke a step further by wearing custom hoodies modeled after “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” with the title changed to “Diary of an Offended Kicker.” Ubben shared a picture of the hoodies and captioned it, “Utah heard Pat McAfee.”
Even Urban Meyer caught a stray, as one viewer wrote, “First time I haven’t watched ‘College Gameday’ or ‘Fox Big Noon’ and didn’t miss either! I can’t support Pat McAfee or Urban Meyer!”
Some fans have also questioned McAfee’s credibility as a football analyst because of his playing background. One fan wrote, “Someone remind Pat McAfee that he was just a punter.”
One viewer even made it clear they’d like to see McAfee leave the show next season, writing on X, “I really hope McAfee is too busy for College GameDay next year.”
The harshest criticism came from a fan who took aim at nearly every part of McAfee’s public persona. He wrote, “Pat McAfee is the single worst thing in sports history. How can anyone stand him? He is a boring, unfunny, highly caffeinated, red-faced, jittery person who has not one ounce of humanity.”
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The backlash comes despite “College GameDay” posting strong viewership numbers this season. Ratings are up 4% to 5% in 2026, with McAfee’s field goal contest helping bring in viewers.
Away from the show, McAfee recently announced he was taking a break from X, saying the platform had become “pretty mean.”
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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