Pat McAfee’s star on ESPN’s College GameDay is hitting some turbulence, according to a new survey. Even with hits like the weekly field-goal contest, fans’ approval is slipping. Amid the criticism, McAfee found support from an unexpected corner. 

“There’s no scenario where support for @PatMcAfeeShow is declining. The media establishment may not like him (and that may be fair), but the talent, effort, and content have been a huge lift for college sports,” wrote On3’s analyst Shannon Terry in McAfee’s defense on January 13. 

According to Snapback Sports, On3 is the breakout company of 2026. It’s predicted that college football fans will prioritize On3 over ESPN for their college football news. That makes Terry and McAfee rivals.

The Athletic published a survey, and readers were asked, “How do you feel about Pat McAfee on College GameDay?” The numbers weren’t kind to McAfee, with nearly half of the respondents bluntly selecting “Don’t like it.”

The Athletic’s annual college football media survey delivered a blunt verdict. 49.5% of voters said they don’t like McAfee on ESPN’s flagship show, compared to 31.6% who approve and 18.9% who remain neutral. This marked the third consecutive year that The Athletic has posed this exact question to its readers.

The trend line for McAfee is concerning; the 49.5% disapproval in the latest survey isn’t an anomaly but the peak of a steady climb in fan dissatisfaction, up from 42.5% in 2024 and 48.9% in 2023

With the 2025 results in front of him, McAfee might be having a déjà vu moment. Back in 2023, after the disastrous result, the former Indianapolis Colts punter poured his heart out in a lengthy statement.

“To the 49%, I have some great news,” wrote McAfee. “I have heard you all very loud and clear since the beginning of my stint with GameDay. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I have not resigned a contract with the legendary show. I’m not right for some crowds and the ‘distinguished’ College Football folks are definitely one of those.”

With Lee Corso stepping away, McAfee now carries the weight of GameDay’s grand finale. From WWE-esque promos to crowd-pumping picks, his finales have turned into pure spectacle, but that does not stop support from pouring in for McAfee.

ESPN’s head’s vote of confidence for Pat McAfee

The numbers tell a layered story – 83.6% still chose GameDay over Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff. It’s proof that fans tune in regardless of McAfee, not necessarily because of him. Or maybe that’s the point: McAfee is pure polarization, a lightning rod you can’t look away from in the sports media landscape.

If there were doubts, the ratings erased them. College GameDay set new viewership records in 2025, averaging 2.7 million viewers per show, a 22% leap from last year. Maybe this is what helped McAfee earn the backing.

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“I say that people vote with their remote controls. So, if three straight seasons of record high audiences for @CollegeGameDay (before & after any measurement changes) qualify as ‘declining support,’ then sign me up for more @PatMcAfeeShow,” wrote Burke Magnus, the president of content at ESPN.

While Terry praised McAfee’s effort, Magnus pointed to the complex numbers, letting the record-high ratings speak for themselves. With its signature kicking contest, GameDay saw a 23% increase in its audience this year. 

A $17 million-per-year ESPN deal and a permanent GameDay megaphone aren’t easy to ditch. So would Pat McAfee actually step away from the show and the fans who stood by him?