College Football HQ

Pat McAfee finally addresses controversial ‘College GameDay’ tradition

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Pat McAfee takes the stage at ESPN College GameDay ahead of the University of Oklahoma-Michigan College football game in Norman.
Pat McAfee takes the stage at ESPN College GameDay ahead of the University of Oklahoma-Michigan College football game in Norman. | Steve Sisney/For The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College GameDay set up on Pittsburgh’s North Shore Saturday for a Week 12 showdown between No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 22 Pittsburgh.

As two seven-win squads battling for a College Football Playoff spot, the game naturally drew significant interest, yet the buzz intensified thanks to Pat McAfee’s comments before kickoff.

Over the past two seasons, McAfee has become an iconic and often polarizing presence on the GameDay set. 

Recently, he has grabbed attention by repeatedly appearing shirtless on campus during live GameDay broadcasts, a move that has sparked mixed reactions.

On Saturday, McAfee responded with a message to those who have questioned his antics.

"Why is this guy shirtless on my TV this early on a Saturday morning? That's a question a lot of people have been asking, including my own mother. The answer is timeless — dare I say, biblical: God made man, and that man was shirtless. It's been an honor to join their sartorial-free ranks. Allow me to introduce the OG of being loud, shirtless, and in public,” cutting to legendary comedian Bert Kreischer. 

“Everything is better shirtless,” Kreischer put it. "Faces get brighter. Friends get closer. Teams play better. It's science proven by scientists. It's freedom.”

“The shirtless are sending a message," McAfee continued, “And yeah, some folks are going to say, keep your shirt on. But you know your heart. And in your heart, all you're thinking is, absolutely not. Because there is only today for the shirtless. One game for the rest of our lives. And it's time to air it all out.”

“So hello, beautiful people. And welcome to another glorious College Football Saturday. Don't be scared to bare your soul with some skin with pride. Because only one team will leave today with a victory. But your bare-ass chest will live on for eternity.”

ESPN added McAfee as a weekly analyst in 2022, and his rowdy campus stunts, beer chugs, chair climbs, and shirtless antics have all become viral fuel, driving GameDay’s surge in social attention.

Still, the buzz hasn’t been universally positive. His recent shirtless stunts in State College and Eugene lit up social media with chants and memes, yet critics argue the showmanship overshadows the football.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning and College GameDay host Pat McAfee.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, and host Pat McAfee strip off their shirts to rally the crowd during ESPN’s “College GameDay” on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Reports from September and October stops highlighted both the viral traction of McAfee’s closing segments and the ongoing debate over GameDay’s evolving tone.

Coverage from local and international outlets highlighted behind-the-scenes tension following certain incidents, raising questions about ESPN’s internal response.

Even amid criticism, audiences continue to flock to GameDay, whose presence has grown larger than ever, largely due to McAfee.

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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