This article was written by Gus Wilson and published on Sport & State, a new media company founded by Clay Travis that is built around sports, culture, original voices, and live conversation.
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Pat McAfee wants nothing to do with another “College GameDay” trip to the University of Utah.
During Monday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,“ McAfee blasted his experience in Salt Lake City over the weekend, saying he felt uncomfortable with how the university treated him before he went on air.
“I did not enjoy the University of Utah. … I’ll hopefully never go to that place,” McAfee said. “I’ll have COVID the next time ‘College GameDay’ goes there if I am still with [GameDay].”
🚨 Pat McAfee GOES OFF on the University of Utah 😳
He says he’s never felt so uncomfortable, even bringing up what happened at UVU last year.
“I did not enjoy the University of Utah.”
HOLY SMOKES 💀 https://t.co/YCXQPM3vEH
— Bill (@Billgetzfroggy) October 26, 2026
McAfee’s biggest issue was a now-deleted video posted to the university’s official Instagram account before Saturday’s show.
The video featured Utah students camping out for “GameDay” doing impressions of McAfee, including one calling him “corny” and another criticizing his habit of taking his shirt off on air.
“The university puts that out? Like as I’m about to do an infomercial for the place?” McAfee said. “I’m walking in front of thousands of people. This is how the university feels about me? It’s an uncomfortable feeling.”
https://t.co/m3AGqPnVPs
— – (@Spicoli_____) October 26, 2026
McAfee made his frustration known before leaving campus. When it came time to make his pick for Houston-Utah, McAfee picked the Cougars and ended the show by telling the crowd, “I’ll never see you again hopefully.”
On Monday, McAfee explained that his discomfort went beyond simply being made fun of.
He referenced the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem last year while discussing why he was uneasy about the university amplifying criticism of him before he walked in front of thousands of people.
“But you got people that really hate my guts out there. Like really hate my guts,” he said. “But the university gaslighting some of it right before I go out there to talk about your school, especially with what happened 40 miles south of Salt Lake City a little over a year ago? It’s like, I did not enjoy that. I was very, very uncomfortable.”
An ESPN spokesperson had this to say regarding McAfee’s comments: “The safety and security of our on-air team, crew and fans is paramount at College GameDay. We are committed to ensuring a safe environment, and given the very real threats that members of our team face, we take issues involving their safety seriously. We support Pat and recognize the very real and valid concerns he has around safety and security.”
McAfee also pointed to his weekly “Kicking Is Easy” contest as another part of the experience that rubbed him the wrong way.
A Utah contestant questioned why she was competing for $1 million after BYU student Carter Smith had a chance at $3 million the previous week.
This applies to so many things… https://t.co/IgOpJRgbUj
— ❤️🔥Andy Splatz❤️🔥 (@AndySplatz) October 24, 2026
McAfee summed up his reaction pretty simply.
“All right, I hate this place. I hate this place.”
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