Thursday, October 22, 2026

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

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

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.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Los Angeles, CA - October 27, 2025 - Dodger Stadium: Jeff Passan during game three of the 2025 World Series.

Jeff Passan: Brewers-Rays World Series Won’t Head Off MLB Lockout

Passan also addressed the backlash he received to comments about the Dodgers.
Oct 11, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley walks the sidelines during the first half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Maryland Breaks Ice With $10M Mike Locksley Firing

$4.9 million is due to Locksley within 60 days.

College Football’s Emerging Powers Are Shaking Up TV Ratings

BYU–Notre Dame averaged 9.2 million viewers on ABC.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/21/26 – T-Mac Backs Clippers Penalty, 80-to-1 Rays Haunt Sportsbooks, Jay-Z Picks Jay-Z

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?

NBC, USA Claim Record Audience for Start of WNBA Finals

The Finals are tied 1–1 with the series shifting to Atlanta.
during WTGL Media Day at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on September 20, 2026.
Exclusive
October 21, 2026

WTGL to Lean Into Female Broadcast Talent on ESPN and Ion

ESPN’s Taylor Tannebaum will make her golf broadcasting debut.
Inglewood, CA - October 12, 2026 - SoFi Stadium: Troy Aikman prior to a regular season Monday Night Football game.
Opinion
October 21, 2026

‘Nobody Calls a Game Better’: Why ESPN Should Keep Troy Aikman

Michael Wilbon and Stephen A. Smith have publicly backed Aikman.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
October 20, 2026

Netflix Releases Q3 Earnings, Preps Big Q4 for Sports

The streaming giant tried to put a hopeful spin on staff cuts.
CBS Sports NFL B Team covering the Cincinnati Bengals versus New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on September 25, 2022.
October 20, 2026

Evan Washburn Eyes March Madness for His ‘Instant Film Room’

The CBS sideline reporter has put a new spin on postgame interviews.
Josh Pate Front Office Sports Tuned In
October 20, 2026

Josh Pate: Internet Hate Is ‘Not Real Life’

Pate learned the lesson on campus trips alongside Danny Kanell.
Santa Clara, CA - September 9, 2024 - Levi's Stadium: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the sidelines prior to a Monday Night Football.
October 19, 2026

Buck, Aikman Avoid the Elephant in the ‘MNF’ Booth

Aikman and Buck focused purely on football during ‘MNF.’