ESPN analyst Pat McAfee expressed dissatisfaction with Utah fans during a College GameDay stop in Salt Lake City, according to a report published October 24, 2026. McAfee picked Houston to win against Utah and stated he hoped he would never see the local fans again.
While on the program, McAfee addressed a video posted by the University of Utah Instagram account that featured students making fun of him while camping out for the show. He noted that while he appreciated the fans who camped out and attended the event, he would pick against the Utah student section ten times out of ten. McAfee predicted that Houston would secure a victory, suggesting that Utah has not yet had to play anyone of significant caliber.
The analyst also commented on a kicking raffle held during the event. He mentioned that the winner of the contest noted that $1 million was not enough, following a previous contest at BYU where a contestant had a chance to win $3 million. McAfee remarked that his billionaire friends did not participate in the recent contest as they had the previous week.
McAfee has a history of criticizing specific fanbases, including previous disputes with Washington State and Georgia fans. During the Salt Lake City appearance, he also criticized The New York Times for an Athletic column regarding his role on College GameDay, which examined the show's popularity versus its focus on college football fans.
The analyst's comments highlighted a contrast from the beginning of the broadcast, where he had previously praised college football fans as the greatest in all of sport.
