ESPN’s College GameDay usually goes to the site of the day’s biggest college football game. It’s normally a positive environment, and the crowds are rowdy.

Pat McAfee is the star. He hosts the field-goal-kicking challenge, where a college student can kick for a chance to win a ton of cash. It’s supposed to be an event that hypes up the biggest games of the college football day.

McAfee is ESPN‘s main attraction right now and isn’t afraid to share his opinion. He can touch on various topics, including sports media, sports, or politics.

This time, he talked about his time at the University of Utah and even wove in a reference to Charlie Kirk.

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Why did Pat McAfee hate his time at the University of Utah?

Pat McAfee talks to Glen Powell during the NCAA football game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell
Pat McAfee talks to Glen Powell during the NCAA football game between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. Texas won 24-23. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Pat McAfee sounded off on why he didn’t have the best time at the University of Utah. He had this to say on The Pat McAfee Show:

“You know why I didn’t like it mostly? Right before I go out there, okay, right before I go out there, I see the University of Utah’s Instagram page, okay?… They put out a video, can you do an impression of Pat McAfee? And one kid goes, ‘Ah, he’s corny.’ Another kid calls me creepy. Okay, 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. If the two ladies that were hosting that put that out on their own blog, I’d be okay with it. Hey, you, you’re allowed to do what you— the university puts that out?”

🚨 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 💀 pic.twitter.com/YCXQPM3vEH

— Bill (@Billgetzfroggy) October 26, 2026

His biggest gripe seemed to be an Instagram video the University posted asking students to do an impression of him. The students weren’t too kind to the former Indianapolis Colts punter. It’s safe to say that McAfee won’t be vacationing in Utah anytime soon.

Did Pat McAfee reference Charlie Kirk?

ESPN personality Pat McAfee, left, shakes hands with President Donald Trump during the Patriot Games held at Spire Academy, Aug.
ESPN personality Pat McAfee, left, shakes hands with President Donald Trump during the Patriot Games held at Spire Academy, Aug. 11, 2026, in Geneva, Ohio. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

The ESPN personality did allude to Charlie Kirk’s assassination when he was talking about his own situation.

McAfee said, “I thought to myself, has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently? “Do we think we should be amplifying reasons for why people hate my guts as a university? I don’t know.”

It’s a big stretch to compare his situation to Kirk’s, but McAfee sometimes goes to extremes. The 39-year-old is never shy, and he’ll say exactly how he’s feeling.

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Source: Yahoo Sports