ESPN personality Pat McAfee stated he felt "very, very uncomfortable" and perceived a threat due to a University of Utah Instagram post that appeared shortly before his appearance on "College GameDay." McAfee specifically referenced the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot on the Utah Valley University campus in September 2025, an event that occurred approximately 40 miles south of Salt Lake City.
The university had posted a video asking students to do impressions of McAfee, which included comments describing him as "corny" and "creepy." This post has since been removed from the university's social media accounts. McAfee expressed his displeasure on "The Pat McAfee Show," noting that the university posted the content as he was preparing to promote the institution. "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 said. "This is how the university feels about it. It’s an uncomfortable feeling."
McAfee implied that the post amplified hostility he might face, questioning whether the university should be amplifying sentiments that could lead to animosity. He further elaborated, stating, "Has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently? Like, do we think we should be amplifying reasons for why people hate my guts as a university?"
The University of Utah issued an apology, acknowledging that its intention was to create "lighthearted engagement" but conceded it "missed the mark." The school stated that university staff are accountable for content posted on official social media accounts and that they have reached out to McAfee to express their regret. "We sincerely apologize for creating any perception that Pat was unsafe or unwelcome on our campus. Nothing could be further from the truth," the university said in its statement, emphasizing that McAfee and the "College GameDay" crew are always welcome.
Beyond the social media incident, McAfee also expressed frustration with a student's comment during the "Kicking Is Easy" contest, where a student questioned why the prize was limited to $1 million, referencing a previous week's $3 million prize. McAfee stated, "It’s my money! Only $1 million. It’s like, all right, I hate this place. I hate this place."
Despite these issues, McAfee praised the Utah football team and its student section, calling them "incredible." He also thanked the fans who attended the "College GameDay" broadcast. The University of Utah defeated Houston 21-13 on Saturday.