ESPN chief on Pat McAfee, College GameDay situation in 2024

What the president of ESPN has to say about the situation involving Pat McAfee and College GameDay ahead of the 2024 college football season.

Where things stand with Pat McAfee and College GameDay ahead of the 2024 college football season. / Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

With under 60 days to go until the 2024 college football season kicks off, one place on ESPN's flagship College GameDay program remains an open question as broadcaster Pat McAfee and the network are yet to sign a contract for this fall.

But according to the president of ESPN, we should see McAfee on the stage alongside Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Rece Davis, and Desmond Howard when picks are being made.

"I presume he will," network chief Burke Magnus revealed during a Q&A with The Athletic when asked if McAfee will be on the program.

The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported that ESPN and McAfee still have not signed a contract for him to appear on College GameDay, but Magnus said that's just a formality.

"What Andrew reported is technically true, relative to ink on a piece of paper," Magnus said. "But as you know in our world, it's a fairly common situation to have reached an agreement without an executed contract or piece of paper."

McAfee likes to keep his options open, Magnus admitted.

"I think from time to time, Pat likes to just muse on what he may or may not want to do," he said.

"We're not in the business of handcuffing anybody to a table. This is not unique to Pat. If somebody comes to us and says, 'Hey, I'd rather do this or that instead of that,' we'll listen and have those conversations. But Pat I expect to be there on College GameDay."

By bringing on McAfee, ESPN looked to provide a new injection of energy into its most important college football show as veteran analyst Lee Corso stepped back into a more minor role in the years since suffering the stroke that partially impaired his speech.

Related: Rece Davis gives update on Lee Corso for 2024

But college football fans have been of very different opinions over McAfee's often bombastic presence on the show.

A poll taken by The Athletic last football season showed that 48.9 percent of over 3,000 respondents disapproved of him, while 30.1 percent said they liked him, and 21 percent had no opinion.

ESPN definitely seems to side with the 30 percent and want to keep him around, but the former West Virginia and NFL punter turned analyst will have some elite company on set.

Ex-Alabama head coach and NCAA-record seven-time national champion Nick Saban will make his debut on College GameDay this season, going another step in making the show appointment viewing again on early Saturday mornings this fall.

(Athletic)

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