ESPN Host Rips Utah Visit, Cites Safety Fears

Pat McAfee says his Saturday in Salt Lake City went sideways fast. The College GameDay co-host tore into the University of Utah on his ESPN show on Monday, saying he felt "very uncomfortable" on campus and hopes he never returns, with comments that included references to last year's assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at nearby Utah Valley University, per the New York Times. McAfee's anger centered on a video that the university posted on social media asking students to imitate him, with some calling him "corny" and "creepy."

McAfee said it was jarring to walk onstage and hype the school right after that clip was released, especially given past violence "40 miles south" of campus—an apparent reference to Kirk. "I'll never see you again, hopefully," he said during Monday's broadcast, per USA Today. The school, which later called the post a misstep, took it down and apologized, saying McAfee and GameDay are welcome anytime. ESPN publicly backed McAfee's safety concerns.