Tuesday, August 4, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

Pat McAfee Becomes Full-Time Member of ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’

  • McAfee will add “College GameDay” to his growing media portfolio.
  • He said he’s been a fan of the show “forever.”
Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader, Sioux Falls Argus Leader

The roundtable at ESPN’s College GameDay has landed a new full-time member: Pat McAfee.

The former player and sports personality will begin his tenure on the show on Saturday, where Alabama will face off against Texas in Austin. 

The news was first reported by The New York Post, but McAfee confirmed it in a tweet. 

He said there were “so many moving parts,” and that conversations “moved quickly.” 

“GameDay is a show that I’ve been a fan of FOREVER,” he said.

“College GameDay” is now one of several shows McAfee will appear on regularly. He also has his own daily talk show, hosts WWE’s “Smackdown, and has even committed to several Mannincast-esque college football broadcasts on ESPN. 

McAfee additionally is in the middle of a four-year, $120 million deal with FanDuel and will have a weekly show for the rebranded FanDuel TV.

“College GameDay” which is perhaps only rivaled by Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff,” lands in a new location each Saturday morning to highlight a marquee college football game. 

Particularly for Group of 5 schools, landing the show is considered major free marketing for not just a school’s football program, but also the university as a whole.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Handful of NBA Draft Picks Could Return to College After Ruling

Four players drafted in June could return to college. 

How the Nostalgia Account 20 Years Ago Sports Went Viral

Nostalgic sports content is proving extremely popular.
Jun 18, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; An on-deck circle with the NCAA logo is pictured on the field before the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the TCU Horned Frogs at Charles Schwab Field Omaha

Ruling Gives NCAA Athletes From Class of 2022 5th Year of Eligibility

The proposed class action was filed after the new NCAA eligibility policy.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

8/3/26 – FIFA Scraps World Cup Investment Plan, Dodgers Land Skubal, NCAA’s Eligibility Chaos

0:00

Featured Today

WPBL

Who’s Playing Women’s Professional Baseball?

Sixty players from 11 countries are descending on Illinois for six weeks.
Tom's Watch Bar
July 17, 2026

Sports Bars Are Cashing In From Summer of Soccer

The World Cup has brought a windfall to America’s biggest sports bars.
Jun 16, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; France forward Michael Olise (11) controls the ball against Senegal during a Group I match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at New York New Jersey Stadium
July 16, 2026

Where World Cup Stars Go to Customize Their Cleats

The world’s best players turn to a Scottish craftsman for perfect cleats.
July 10, 2026

What the World Cup Means to Erling Haaland’s Tiny Hometown

The tournament’s breakout star is from a rural Norwegian town.
July 10, 2026

Why So Many Media Outlets Are Rushing Into Sports

Sports coverage has ballooned in every corner of media.
CBS sportscaster and former NFL quarterback Tony Romo chats with the media Tuesday, June 27, 2023 during the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Championship & Pro-Am at Metamora Fields Golf Club.

Is This the Beginning of the End for Tony Romo at CBS?

Romo’s leave has elevated J.J. Watt to CBS’s No. 1 team.
Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Adam Schefter talks on a set before the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
July 31, 2026

Schefter Among Early Investors to Cash In on Underdog Sale

Schefter first invested in Underdog in 2021.
Oct 23, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) with owner Jerry Jones prior to the game against the St Louis Rams at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
August 3, 2026

Tony Romo’s CBS Future a ‘Litmus Test’ for Jerry Jones’s Power

CBS placed Romo on leave last week.
Sponsored

Saints Great Turns to Ownership

Marques Colston discusses the launch of Champions Fund and how he navigated the business world after football
CBS sportscaster and former NFL quarterback Tony Romo chats with the media Tuesday, June 27, 2023 during the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Championship & Pro-Am at Metamora Fields Golf Club.
July 31, 2026

CBS Places Tony Romo on Leave After OWI Arrest

JJ Watt will work with CBS’s No. 1 NFL broadcast team.
Jan 17, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; ESPN reporter Molly McGrath during media day for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Exclusive
July 31, 2026

Molly McGrath Moving From CFB to NFL Coverage at ESPN

McGrath will be a sideline reporter and fill-in host on “NFL Live.”
At Five Points Sports Bar, in Levittown, Philadelphia Eagles fans watch first quarter action, in Super Bowl LVII, in Arizona, on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023.
July 31, 2026

NFL Sunday Ticket Will Still Be Available by Satellite at Sports Bars

DirecTV’s previous deal expired after the 2025 NFL season.
Jul 13, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; ESPN commentator Karl Ravech before the MLB Draft at The Coca-Cola Roxy. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
July 30, 2026

Despite Layoff, Karl Ravech Returns to ESPN Booth

Ravech was laid off after 33 years with ESPN.