Pat McAfee is being criticized for turning College GameDay into a vulgar show
McAfee's outspoken personality has boosted College GameDay's popularity, but former ESPN hosts aren't convinced the network's new direction is worth the backlash
ESPN's decision to bring Pat McAfee into the College GameDay spotlight has helped transform its college football coverage, but his outspoken personality is increasingly becoming a source of controversy.
Former ESPN presenter Linda Cohn believes the network has allowed the programme to become too vulgar, raising concerns about the language being broadcast to families watching on Saturday mornings.
Speaking to Sage Steele on The Sage Steele Show on October 28, Cohn questioned why profanity had become commonplace during a programme traditionally enjoyed by viewers of all ages.
"Since when are you allowed to curse at 9:15 in the morning for GameDay?" Cohn asked, suggesting ESPN's approach reflected desperation to attract younger audiences.
“I can’t believe it. That’s how desperate ESPN has become. And it’s not just McAfee, it’s Saban. They’re all cursing on College GameDay, and the kids are watching.”
The controversy has grown following several incidents involving the programme. During LSU's season opener against Clemson, McAfee encouraged supporters in Baton Rouge to sing "Neck", a popular stadium anthem containing explicit lyrics.
The moment prompted criticism from parents who felt the broadcast wasn't suitable for children watching at home.
ESPN also received several complaints from viewers about language used during GameDay broadcasts in 2024. One complaint specifically raised concerns about children being exposed to profanity during the programme's morning hours.
Saban was also criticized after using inappropriate expressions while discussing former assistant coaches during a December 2024 appearance.
ESPN's ratings success comes with questions about its direction
Cohn believes the changes risk damaging a programme that has been a Saturday morning tradition for approximately four decades.
“That’s a tradition. People are into college football. They sit there with their kids,” Cohn said.
“They grew up with their dads and moms, and now they have kids. That show’s been around for 40 years. And is that what you want College GameDay to be now?
However, ESPN has strong reasons to maintain its current approach. Through Week 7, College GameDay averaged 2.8 million viewers, putting it on course for a record-breaking season.
Its audience among children aged two to 17 also increased by 34% compared with the previous year, while women accounted for approximately 35% of viewers.
These figures suggest McAfee's energetic approach is connecting with a broader audience, even as some traditional viewers question the direction of the programme. ESPN must consider whether changing its established presentation is worth the potential backlash.
McAfee has faced criticism beyond his language, too. His disagreement with the University of Utah after students mocked him in a promotional video prompted former ESPN presenter Michelle Beadle to question his reaction.
Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, Beadle described his response as unusually sensitive, contrasting it with the online threats women in sports media regularly experience.
"We are constantly told as women that we’re hysterical, we’re too emotional, we can’t handle things. I can’t tell you how many death and rape threats I’ve gotten via social media since 2009 when we got on Twitter originally. I could never be that soft. Never," Beadle said.
"This has been one of the softest, and we’ve seen quite a few from some of the people at the top of this food pyramid of sports media, one of the softest reactions to something that was so ridiculously unserious."
