University of Utah apologizes to Pat McAfee after College GameDay controversy

The University of Utah has issued an apology to ESPN personality Pat McAfee following a social media post that the host described as making him feel “very, very uncomfortable.” The controversy began when the university’s official Instagram account shared a video featuring students making impressions of McAfee, with some students calling him “corny” and “creepy.”

McAfee expressed his frustrations on “The Pat McAfee Show,” stating that seeing the university-sanctioned video shortly before appearing in front of thousands of fans felt like the institution was “dogging” him. He also referenced the 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University when discussing his safety concerns and the atmosphere at college gatherings in the state.

Additional friction arose during the “Kicking Is Easy” segment, where a student contestant questioned why the prize was $1 million, noting that a previous contest at BYU featured a $3 million prize.

In a statement, the University of Utah acknowledged that the post “missed the mark” and was intended to create “lighthearted engagement.” The school took full accountability for the content and stated that officials have reached out to McAfee to express regret.