Pat McAfee’s loud, energy-filled style on ESPN’s College GameDay already divides viewers. This is not the first criticism of ESPN’s coverage; recently, a reporter questioned the presence of Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe for the BYU-Notre Dame game.
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Now a voice from the Notre Dame side is telling fans to switch to the competition. Bryan Driskell, the owner of Irish Breakdown, watched FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff break down Notre Dame against BYU, and then took to X.
“My advice to ND fans who are upset about the moronic comments ESPN keeps making …..,” Driskell wrote on X. “Turn it off, tune into Big Noon Kickoff.”
Driskell praised the FOX show as “pure analysis,” with no spin, no clickbait social media clips, and no anti-ND bias. He didn’t say which ESPN comments he meant, but his post came a day after Herbstreit’s appearance on ESPN’s Get Up.
Herbstreit called Notre Dame’s schedule an embarrassment and said the Irish play only two games where they will be challenged: at BYU, where they were favored, and at home against Miami. His remarks came during a discussion of reports that the College Football Playoff will expand to 24 teams next season.
Irish fans pushed back, and Pro Football Network noted that Notre Dame ranks 60th nationally in strength of schedule, just ahead of Miami. This led some fans to ask why Herbstreit singled out the Irish.
The latest round of Notre Dame frustration began before kickoff. When ESPN announced its broadcast crew for the BYU game, with Chris Fowler on play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit as analyst, and Holly Rowe on the sideline, Notre Dame reporter Bruce Straughan reacted bluntly on X.
His reaction followed several recent controversies involving Herbstreit and Rowe, including fan backlash toward Rowe over a post-game interview with Miami’s Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney.
Driskell’s post landed in the middle of a louder argument about what College GameDay has become.
The two shows are rivals in a way, and the criticism of McAfee has surfaced amid that competition. Big Noon Kickoff is FOX Sports’ college football pregame show, and it previews the day’s biggest games and broadcasts live from campuses across the country.
McAfee has been the center of that argument, with critics saying his theatrical segments sometimes overshadow real college football analysis, and some viewers feel the show now leans on his personality more than on its reporting and documentary-style features.
Among the antics cited are ripping open his shirt while picking Ohio State, leading stadium chants, jumping on chairs, and lying on his back to howl while picking Georgia over Alabama. His Kicking Is Easy has also become a high-profile segment. Some enjoy his energy while others react differently.
The tension has turned personal at times. On October 15, McAfee responded to an X post in which a user said they hoped he would get kidney stones so he “can’t ruin College GameDay this weekend.”
His reply was short: “This is crazy.”
ESPN executive Mike Foss defended McAfee in an interview with Front Office Sports. He called McAfee a versatile personality with strong connections across sports, someone who can build a show, reach prominent figures, and quickly get information when something catches his interest.
Foss said McAfee “might be a journalist at heart” and described him as a producer, interviewer, and actor. He also called McAfee underrated as an interviewer and could call football games full time if he wanted.
That “journalist at heart” label drew pushback. FOX Sports commentator Tim Brando posted on X on October 15, “That’s a bit much.” Journalist Charles P. Pierce answered Front Office Sports’ post with “No, he isn’t.”
NFL reporter Arif Hasan wrote that he was “fascinated by what the journalists at ESPN might have to say about this characterization!” Sportswriter Sam Monson said McAfee is mainly an entertainer. Longtime NFL reporter Jason La Canfora also objected to the amount of attention entertainers receive as sports journalism continues to change.
The dispute comes down to two different definitions of the job. McAfee’s fans point to his access to athletes, coaches, and other big names, and to the interviews that come from it. Critics say that doesn’t make someone a journalist. To them, journalism means reporting, checking facts, working with sources, and delivering news and analysis.
So the argument isn’t about his talent. It’s about whether ESPN’s description of his role is fair. While Driskell’s post sparked discussion, the broader criticism centers on ESPN’s description of McAfee’s role, not McAfee’s on-air performance directly.
Viewers who want to switch can find Big Noon Kickoff at 10 a.m. Eastern on Saturdays. The first-come, first-served fan pit opens at 8:30 a.m. For select three-hour specials, the tailgate starts at 7:30 a.m., and the show goes on air at 9 a.m.