ESPN
'College GameDay' must be really bothering the "keep politics out of sports" crowd lately
It must be a tough couple of weeks for the “keep politics out of sports” crowd. Just a week after having widely disliked Texas senator Ted Cruz on the show, College GameDay ran PR for the United States military.
Down in Oxford, Mississippi, for Saturday’s highly anticipated SEC matchup between Lane Kiffin’s current team, LSU, and his former team, Ole Miss, College GameDay leaned right back into politics just a week after giving Ted Cruz a lengthy interview.
Pat McAfee: “We certainly appreciate the hell out of the American military. And if you’re not the United States of America and you hear that sound, your ass better run.”
Rece Davis: “That’s the one thing the two sides here can agree on, for sure.” pic.twitter.com/xKUoK3ygbC
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 19, 2026
ESPN turned the military into a political discussion just a week after having Senator Ted Cruz on the show
As a shot of the Mississippi Army National Guard choppers flying over Ole Miss’m campus, Pat McAfee went full predictable McAfee epic bacon mode by declaring:
“We certainly appreciate the hell out of the American military. And if you’re not the United States of America and you hear that sound, your ass better run.”
“That’s the one thing the two sides here can agree on, for sure,” Rece Davis responded.
It’s important to distinguish that, while most Americans certainly appreciate individual soldiers, opinions of the actual military and the systems that surround it are absolutely not agreed upon.
Awful Announcing posted the clip of the moment to social media, and the replies to the video paint a clear picture of what college football fans thought of the segment.
“Gameday quickly becoming Fox News Sports. Embarrassing,” the top reply with over 4,700 likes read.
“As we just launched an illegal and offensive war into Iran where they are concealing the casualty count. Tasteless,” a second protested.
“It’s absurd how far this show has fallen down, from the glory days of Fowler & Corso,” a third bemoaned.
“Not sure if ‘when you hear the U.S. military approaching, know that death is upon you’ is the message that should be shared on a college football pregame show,” a fourth suggested.
“Hell yeah everyone is terrified of being murdered by our military while diesel is 6.50, that’s awesome,” a fifth sarcastically joked.
What the hell has this network become? https://t.co/iAqspK92U6
— Michael Sykes, II (@MikeDSykes) September 19, 2026
wow… Pat really did it again man 🔥🔥🔥
how much epicness can one show truly contain 😂😂😂 ‘merica https://t.co/46AdpB2NhS
— 🅱️urt Cignetti (@hoosiercommish) September 19, 2026
Network that wanted to stay out of politics, btw https://t.co/d6KG6uKueo
— Big Kahuna (@TheMSeries1) September 19, 2026
There were a few replies on the other side of the argument, however, glorifying the concept of “American exceptionalism.”
“The people in the replies mad at American exceptionalism. Biggest bunch of wet noodle cry baby losers on the whole internet. Go back to blue sky.”
“It’s amazing how Americans benefiting from and participating in from American exceptionalism will say they hate America (one of the only places in the world you won’t be killed for political disagreement and free speech).”
ESPN has clearly decided on the direction it wants to go: a world of Jelly Roll, Pat McAfee, military PR, and Kirk Herbstreit’s dog. How many fans it both loses and gains in the process is yet to be seen.