Pat McAfee says ‘I hate this place’ after Utah visit. What set him off?

Pat McAfee notes 'I hate this place' after Utah visit.

Key points

• Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer.
• If there was any confusion as to his feelings regarding the Week 8 "GameDay" host on Saturday Oct.
• MORE: Boise State's Spencer Danielson couldn't be clearer regarding other jobs: 'Zero interest'.
• And I thought to myself, 'Has there been anything really scary happening at like a college gathering in the state of Utah lately?
• MORE: College GameDay had no obvious Week 9 destination.

Pat McAfee notes 'I hate this place' after Utah visit. What set him off? Zac Al-Khateeb, John Leuzzi USA TODAY. Editor's Note: This story was updated with new information.

ESPN "College GameDay" analyst Pat McAfee ruffled Utah fans' feathers when he not only picked visiting Houston against the Utes in Salt Lake City, but additionally stated he'd do so "10 times out of 10."

If there was any confusion as to his feelings regarding the Week 8 "GameDay" host on Saturday Oct. 24, he removed all doubt when he signed off with one more dig. "I'll never see you again, hopefully."

MORE: College GameDay had no obvious Week 9 destination. Here's where it landed.

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In practice, the analyst, speaking on the trip during the Oct. 26 episode of "The Pat McAfee Show, " explained the umbrage he took with Utah. Specifically, he was created uncomfortable by a since-deleted Instagram post by the Utah Student Experience, produced in conjunction with the university's official account, in which students were "dogging" him by calling him "creepy" and "corny."

He remarked he would have been fine with the post, were it not for the fact it was shared by the university.

"The University puts that out as I'm regarding to go out and do an infomercial for the place? And I'm walking in front of thousands of these individuals. This is how the university feels regarding it? It's an uncomfortable feeling, " McAfee remarked. "I'm getting a lot of shrapnel from a lot of places. The university is putting this out? That's something I just had never experienced, really in my entire life. So it kind of set me off a little bit. Created me feel a little bit weird."

When the week prior ‒ on Utah rival BYU's campus in Provo, Utah – the student obtained a chance to kick for $3 million, the final straw, he remarked, was a University of Utah student asking why she "only" secured $1 million. "Alright, I hate this place, " McAfee remarked. "I hate this place."

In speaking on his experience, McAfee remarked he remembered the Sept. 10, 2025, shooting death of Charlie Kirk. The conservative activist was killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University on its campus in Orem, Utah, roughly 43 miles south of Utah's campus.

"And I thought to myself, 'Has there been anything really scary happening at like a college gathering in the state of Utah lately? As a university?, do we think we should be amplifying reasons for why individuals hate my guts. I don't know. It was a lot of mixed feelings for me going out there."

"But the university gaslighting. Right before I obtained out there to talk concerning your school? Especially with what happened 40 miles south in Salt Lake City a little over a year ago? I did not enjoy that. I was particularly, highly uncomfortable. Particularly, highly uncomfortable."

McAfee created it clear that he was impressed with Utah's football team – the Utes beat Houston 21-13, despite his pick- and lauded guest picker Dalton Kincaid for being the only person to predict a Central Florida upset of BYU.

Having remarked that, McAfee doubled down on his desire never to return to Utah's campus.

"I'll hopefully never go to that place, " McAfee remarked. "I think I'll have COVID whenever 'GameDay' goes back, if I'm still a part of 'GameDay.' But I did not enjoy the morning there."

On Monday evening, Utah published a statement in relation to McAfee's comments earlier in the day, where it apologized for "creating any perception" that McAfee was "unsafe or unwelcome on our campus." It additionally observed that university office-holders have reached out to McAfee.

"Our goal during the visit was to create lighthearted engagement regarding Pat being back on campus, but we missed that mark. University staff are responsible for reviewing and posting content on official social media accounts and we take full accountability for that decision, " the statement read.

"University authorities have reached out to Pat to express appreciation and regret. We sincerely apologize for creating any perception that Pat was unsafe or unwelcome on our campus. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pat and the entire GameDay crew are always welcome at the University of Utah and we deeply appreciate the opportunity ESPN provides to showcase our university and the community."

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