U.S. Parents Speaking Out Against Language On 'College GameDay'

Sports admin September 20, 2026 0 Comments

U.S. Parents Speaking Out Against Language On ‘College GameDay’

Is ESPN’s “College GameDay” becoming too much for kids to watch?

That’s what some parents are saying.

Several U.S. parents have announced a “boycott” of ESPN’s college football pregame show, as they believe the behavior and language of star analysts like Pat McAfee has made it “inappropriate” for their kids to watch.

“I’m no prude but game day has become something I don’t even feel comfortable watching with my kids. Trash show. Sad tradition they’ve messed up,” one parent wrote.

“I can’t even have College Gameday on in the background while I hang out with my kids on Saturday morning anymore. Lost count of the number of curse words Pat has let out in the first 5 minutes of the show. Ridiculous and unnecessary for a show I used to love so much,” another parent wrote.

A “boycott” announcement from a U.S. parent has more than 11,000 likes on X, formerly known as Twitter, as of Sunday morning.

ESPN’s “College GameDay” does feel a bit less wholesome with McAfee and Co. than it did with Lee Corso.

However, the TV ratings are strong, and the reaction to the show on campus is still as strong as it ever has been.

ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ is unlikely to make changes

Love him or hate him, ESPN is fully investing in the Pat McAfee era. The former NFL punter turned sports media mogul is here to stay, whether it’s with ESPN’s college football coverage or its NFL coverage.

It’s certainly fair for some parents to find McAfee’s behavior inappropriate for their kids, but that doesn’t mean that ESPN is going to change anything about the way they program their college football pregame show.

There are other options, of course, like FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff,” for parents who are growing frustrated with ESPN’s “College GameDay.”

This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 9:08 AM.