College GameDay has changed plenty over four decades, but replacing “Comin’ to Your City” with a Pat McAfee song might test just how much change viewers are willing to accept.
CFB World Pushes Back on Pat McAfee Prediction
Awful Announcing’s Demetri Ravanos predicted Sunday that ESPN could announce within the next month that a track from McAfee’s new album, “The Diary of a Polarizing Figure,” will become GameDay’s new theme.
Ravanos explicitly said he was not reporting inside information, but that distinction did little to slow reactions that quickly reached “we are doomed” territory.
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“Simply no way this happens. Would be a masterclass in how to ruin a universally loved show,” Matthew Travis wrote in an X post.
Simply no way this happens. Would be a masterclass in how to ruin a universally loved show https://t.co/kOvSFUbZ5h
— Matthew Travis (@MatthewJTravis_) August 31, 2026
Kendra Middleton found some fortunate timing in Lee Corso’s retirement.
“Lee Corso got out just in time,” she wrote in her reaction.
Lee Corso got out just in time https://t.co/KCOgFLKvXk
— Kendra Middleton (@KendraMiddleton) August 31, 2026
Former ESPN personality Jason Fitz raised a different concern. He said the network’s music and legal departments were previously firm that revenue-generating music work could conflict with an ESPN talent contract.
“I understand the logic,” Fitz wrote in his post, “but when I was in these conversations, the lines were clear.”
When I was at ESPN the music dept & legal dept were adamant that revenue generating music work would be a conflict of interest & not allowed because of my talent contract.I understand the logic by @awfulannouncing but when I was in these conversations the lines were clear https://t.co/5tN10z5GGO
— jason fitz (@jasonfitz) August 31, 2026
Chris Marler was considerably less diplomatic. “This better be a [expletive] joke,” he wrote in his response.
NFL writer Jarrett Bailey jokingly took credit for seeing the scenario coming.
“I told all of you this would happen when I reviewed the McAfee album,” Bailey wrote in another post.
Felipe Cárdenas reacted to the prediction and wrote, “Lol, I never thought about this. We are doomed.”
lol I never thought about this. We are doomed. https://t.co/dq4mwPrAwQ
— Felipe Cárdenas (@FelipeCar) August 31, 2026
Michael Hauff also mocked ESPN and said, “In a week or two, ESPN will change their name to the Pat McAfee Network.”
ESPN Has Not Announced a GameDay Theme Change
The most important part of the story remains what has not happened. ESPN has not announced that McAfee’s music will replace “Comin’ to Your City.”
Ravanos’ theory is based partly on McAfee’s growing influence on GameDay and a recent conversation with Kirk Herbstreit. Herbstreit praised the album during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” and asked whether McAfee could perform some of his music on GameDay this season. McAfee appeared interested in the possibility.
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There is also precedent for ESPN changing the opening. Big & Rich performed “Comin’ to Your City” for 16 years before the network introduced a new version featuring Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson, and The Cadillac Three in 2023.
Ravanos believes McAfee’s “Good Times” is the most logical replacement candidate, but again, that is his prediction rather than an ESPN plan.
GameDay begins its 40th season Sept. 5 in Baton Rouge before LSU faces Clemson. ESPN’s official season announcement lists McAfee among the returning cast but says nothing about replacing the theme song.
For anyone already preparing for a McAfee musical takeover, there is still room to lower the panic level. The internet may be at “we are doomed,” but ESPN has yet to say the old theme is doomed at all.
