ESPN’s Pat McAfee has drawn plenty of criticism this week after ripping the University of Utah, saying that he felt uncomfortable during last weekend’s College GameDay visit because of a video the school posted. Now, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, who once worked with McAfee, is weighing in.
Portnoy made it clear that he doesn’t share McAfee’s feelings about Utah, praising the school’s fans and atmosphere and saying that he’s used to being disliked on college campuses. He also wondered whether the whole thing might be a bit.
Advertisement
College GameDay was in Salt Lake City on Saturday for a top-15 matchup between No. 10 Utah and No. 14 Houston, which the Utes won 21-13 to stay undefeated. Ahead of the show, Utah Student Experience and the university’s official account shared a video of students poking fun at McAfee, with one calling him “corny” and another calling him “creepy.” The video has since been deleted.
McAfee fired back during the broadcast, picking Houston and telling the crowd on his way out, “I’ll never see you again, hopefully,” via The Salt Lake Tribune.
He then went even further on Monday’s episode of The Pat McAfee Show.
Advertisement
“I’ve enjoyed this college football season — did not enjoy the University of Utah,” McAfee said.
McAfee said that the university’s post made him uncomfortable before he went out in front of thousands of students, and he even referenced the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University last year.
“I think I hate this place,” McAfee added.
The university later apologized, saying that the post was meant to be “lighthearted engagement” but “missed the mark.” The school also apologized for “creating any perception that Pat was unsafe or unwelcome on our campus.”
Advertisement
Portnoy offered a very different take on Tuesday.
“With all this McAfee controversy, I just want to say I loved Utah. Granted, this was before I became Provo Dave, but I loved it. Crowd was great. Fans were great. Id go back in a heartbeat with Barstool Football Show,” Portnoy wrote on X.
Later, during a livestream, Portnoy was asked whether McAfee was “the softest hardo to ever live.” He didn’t take the bait, but he didn’t exactly back McAfee up, either.
“Listen, unique guy. I don’t — I just posted, I went to Utah. It was awesome,” Portnoy said in a clip shared by RGF.
Advertisement
“So I don’t really know what I saw. The video, it didn’t seem that — that if that’s really what got him mad, the video of a couple of college kids being like, ‘He’s going to say something corny like Houston to the moon or something,’ or ‘Houston, we have a problem,'” he continued.
Portnoy also doubled down on his praise for the school as he expressed some surprise at the way McAfee reacted.
“I went to Utah. Utah’s awesome. Great environment, great fans. So yeah, that was a little surprising,” he said.
Portnoy also made it clear that he’s used to getting a much worse reception from college students.
Advertisement
“Listen, I’m hated at like a lot of the campuses. I don’t mind it. It’s like heel WWE,” Portnoy said.
The post I’m hated at a lot of the campuses. I don’t mind’: Dave Portnoy calls Pat McAfee situation ‘a little surprising’ appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
