ESPN College GameDay
analyst Pat McAfee criticized the University of Utah on his October 26, 2026, show, citing an official Instagram video that mocked him and a student’s remark about a $1 million kicking prize. The university subsequently apologized, stating its social media content missed the mark.
The trouble began during the Oct. 24, 2026, broadcast in Salt Lake City, where “College GameDay” analyst Pat McAfee made his game prediction. While breaking down the matchup between the Utes and Houston, he picked the Cougars and offered a pointed sign-off to the crowd: I’ll never see you again, hopefully.
By Monday, October 26, 2026, McAfee used his daily program to explain that his parting words were no joke. He detailed an uncomfortable experience on the university’s campus, driven primarily by an official social media post published just before the broadcast.
University Social Media Posts and Student Kicking Comments Spark Frustration
The core of McAfee’s grievance centered on an Instagram reel posted by the University of Utah that asked students to perform impressions of the ESPN personality. Participants in the clip called him corny
and creepy
.
McAfee argued that while individual student blogs or fan accounts are fair game, an official university account amplifying criticism moments before he appeared on air felt unwelcome. The show featured students doing McAfee impressions, with some criticizing his on-air personality. McAfee has made a habit out of bucking at those who he views as taking shots at him.
If these kids would have done this on their own blogs, all good, I mean, everybody’s taking shots at me anyways for everything. I get it… the university puts that out? Like, as I’m about to go out and do an infomercial for the place, and then I’m walking in front of thousands of these people, this is how the university feels about it? It’s an uncomfortable feeling.
Pat McAfee, ESPN analyst
Friction also occurred during the show’s field-goal kicking contest. A student chosen for the segment questioned why the prize was worth only $1 million
when a contestant at rival BYU’s campus in Provo the previous week had a chance to win $3 million, an amount supplemented by Utah Jazz and Mammoth owner Ryan Smith and business partner Ryan Sweeney.
University of Utah Issues an Apology as Online Criticism Mounts
Following McAfee’s Monday broadcast, the University of Utah released a statement acknowledging that its social media content missed the mark and taking full accountability for the post. University staff are responsible for reviewing and posting content on official social media accounts, and the institution took full accountability for that decision. Officials said their goal was to create lighthearted engagement regarding Pat being back on campus, but they missed the mark.
University officials stated they reached out to McAfee to express regret and apologize for creating any perception that he was unsafe or unwelcome on campus, emphasizing that the GameDay crew remains welcome. Nothing could be further from the truth, and Pat and the entire GameDay crew are always welcome at the University of Utah.
Public reaction on social media was swift, with critics accusing McAfee of overreacting to minor student jokes. Commentators on platforms like X questioned the comparison McAfee drew when he referenced the September 2025 shooting death of political activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, asking whether the university should be amplifying reasons for people to dislike him. Dan Wolken wondered whether the outrage was part of the performance, asking if he was just doing this for content. Ralph Amsden and others offered assessments of McAfee’s relationship with online criticism.
Rice-Eccles Stadium Win Overshadowed by Off-Field Spat
The controversy overshadowed a landmark weekend for the athletic program. The Utes defeated the Houston Cougars 21-13 in front of a sold-out crowd at Rice-Eccles Stadium, climbing to No. 6 in the AP Top 25 poll under first-year coach Morgan Scalley.
Despite praising the team’s performance and its student section, McAfee maintained that he hopes to avoid returning to the Salt Lake City campus for future broadcasts.
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