We already know Pat McAfee is a bundle of high energy! But his spirited attitude doesn’t always win the favor of CFB fans. We’ve seen what happened in the previous Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State. His antics on his rendition of ESPN’s College GameDay earned him mixed responses. But the negative outweighed the good and one person even questioned if “Pat McAfee just [barked] on live TV.” However, the Cotton Bowl seems to be changing things for the 37-year-old analyst.

The attention of the Cotton Bowl clash between Texas and Ohio State saw a shift from the game to the commentary. Pat McAfee’s animated calling style gave several fans FOMO. A new X post on January 10 accentuated this with the words, “If you’re not watching the Cotton Bowl with Pat McAfee on ESPN2, you are slipping.”

It’s good to see Pat McAfee winning the public’s admiration for his out-of-the-box commentary. Following a career in football and pro wrestling, he signed a four-year, $85 million contract with ESPN in 2023. But not everyone likes his raspy voice when he gets excited. He’s still a polarizing figure to many people who either love or hate him. But the energy that he brings to any game is contagious.

Here’s one particular instance that screams high energy and excitement. In the second quarter of the CFP semifinals inside AT&T Stadium, OSU’s RB TreVeyon Henderson made an impressive score, a 75-yard TD on a screen pass from QB Will Howard. You can imagine McAfee’s reaction, he was literally screaming the following words — “TreVeyon Henderson, shot out of the cannon. Touchdown. Ohio State with 13 seconds left in the first half.” This big play gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead over the Longhorns in the first half. And yes, fans loved not just the play, but the commentary as well! 

Rounding up Pat McAfee’s fans in the Cotton Bowl

If it’s entertainment that you’re seeking, Pat McAfee’s ESPN2 is your go-to destination. See this person’s praise for his dynamic style, “The Pat McAfee field pass brings such a different dynamic to watching these games, very enjoyable.” This isn’t the typical commentary that we usually hear from other ESPN figures. 

With Pat McAfee, you’re going to be laughing at his choice of words and dramatic reactions. This fan in particular knows what it’s like as they wrote, “If y’all aren’t watching Pat McAfee field pass on ESPN 2 you should 😂😂😂” After all, where there’s Pat McAfee, there’s an animated energy. 

And hey, his Cotton Bowl antics even put him in favor over Kirk Herbstreit himself, per some fans. See what this Buckeyes fan wrote about his calling style, “I’d rather watch Pat McAfee over Kirk Herbstreit’s cockamanie mouth any day of the week. Go Ohio State! My Home.” What a winning day for Pat McAfee! 

But his style isn’t for everyone. We saw the troll who even called for his replacement on Thursday. Still, he has a devoted fan base, one of whom wrote, “I caught the last quarter of the Orange Bowl last night. Pat McAfee and his crew called the game from the sidelines for ESPN2. They did a fantastic job!” It was a wrap. 

What we learned from these developments is that you can’t please the world. Pat McAfee’s style may be relatively raw and crude, but some people also prefer casual conversations over more formal ones. It doesn’t hurt for a little diversity in the commentaries.