Sports commentator Pat McAfee recently criticized the University of Utah following a social media post he described as making him feel "very, very uncomfortable" ahead of Saturday’s "College GameDay" broadcast. McAfee recounted viewing a video on the university’s official Instagram account just before going live in Salt Lake City. The content reportedly invited students to share their impressions of him, and some accompanying remarks labeled him "corny" and "creepy." The university has since taken down the video from its social media platforms.
The former professional football punter clarified that he would not have been bothered if individual students had published such comments. However, his concern stemmed from the university itself disseminating the content just moments before he was set to appear before a large audience. "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," McAfee explained on his program, "The Pat McAfee Show," on Monday. "This is how the university feels about it. It’s an uncomfortable feeling."
Referencing a Past Incident
McAfee stated that the post "set me off a little bit" and left him feeling "a little weird." He then seemingly alluded to the September 2025 shooting incident involving Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist who tragically died during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, approximately 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. "Has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently?" McAfee inquired. "Like, do we think we should be amplifying reasons for why people hate my guts as a university?" Later in the broadcast, McAfee reiterated his point by referring to "what happened 40 miles south of Salt Lake City a little over a year ago," suggesting the university’s online content intensified the animosity he perceived just before his promotional appearance for the institution. "I was very, very uncomfortable," he affirmed. "I think it made me not have the greatest morning."
University Issues Apology
The University of Utah subsequently issued an apology via a statement on its official Instagram account. The university explained that its intention was to foster "lighthearted engagement" regarding McAfee’s visit to campus but acknowledged that it "missed the mark." The statement read, "University staff are responsible for reviewing and posting content on official social media accounts and we take full accountability for that decision." Furthermore, the university confirmed that officials had contacted McAfee directly to convey their gratitude and remorse. "We sincerely apologize for creating any perception that Pat was unsafe or unwelcome on our campus. Nothing could be further from the truth," the statement emphasized. The institution also underscored that McAfee and the entire "College GameDay" team are always welcome, noting that ESPN’s popular pregame program has visited its campus seven times, fostering a consistently positive relationship with the crew.
Further Frustrations and Final Thoughts
McAfee acknowledged that some individuals might consider the student remarks not particularly severe, but he continually returned to the central point of who published the video. "It was the university putting that out. It’s not like a blog. It’s the actual place that we’re at," he asserted. The Instagram incident was not the sole aspect of McAfee’s visit that seemed to cause him distress. He also expressed annoyance with a student participant in his recurring "Kicking Is Easy" competition, which offers a contestant the opportunity to kick a field goal for a $1 million prize. McAfee recounted that the student questioned why the reward was "only $1 million," especially after the potential prize had reached $3 million for the prior week’s Notre Dame-BYU matchup. "It’s my money! Only $1 million. It’s like, all right, I hate this place. I hate this place," he exclaimed. McAfee humorously added that he hopes he never needs to return to the university, jesting that he might claim to have COVID if "College GameDay" schedules another visit. Notwithstanding his grievances, he commended Utah’s football squad and described its student section as "incredible." He also extended his gratitude to the fans who attended Saturday’s live broadcast, stating, "It was a phenomenal GameDay. Thank you to everybody that showed up." On Saturday, the Utah Utes ultimately triumphed over Houston with a score of 21-13.