Just ahead of the start of the 2025 season, ESPN announced that Josh Pate would be contributing to its college football coverage.
Suffice it to say, Pate’s experience with the Worldwide Leader has gone well — so much so that network executives are reportedly hoping to increase his presence moving forward.
According to Front Office Sports’ Ryan Glasspiegel, ESPN higher-ups are looking to “expand” the college football personality’s role in Bristol following the 2025 campaign. In his first season working with ESPN, Pate made recurring weekly appearances on ESPN programming, primarily on Get Up and SportsCenter, serving as one of the network’s most visible weekday college football analysts.
While it’s unclear what Pate’s potential increased role might look like, Glasspiegel noted that ESPN president of content Burke Magnus has previously felt that the network’s studio shows haven’t dedicated enough resources to its college football coverage considering its status as America’s second-most popular sport behind only the NFL. As college football has evolved, it has seemingly become more tailor made for debate-centric shows, thanks the transfer portal, NIL, coaching departures and the expanded playoff.
In a statement to Front Office Sports, ESPN senior vice president Mike Foss spoke highly of Pate and his future with the network.
“We introduced Josh into the fold for this football season, on a short-term deal, and he’s been fantastic—so have Taylor Lewan, Will Compton, and a slew of other college football voices,” Foss said. “As the year is coming to a close, and as it’s been an incredible year for football in general, it’s a good opportunity to look to the future. As we look at everything Josh has done, we certainly want to find a world where he’s a part of it.”
In addition to his role with ESPN, Pate hosts Josh Pate’s College Football Show, which currently lays claim to more than 525,000 subscribers and is licensed to On3 and Yahoo. According to Glasspiegel, industry insiders believe that the Columbus, Georgia, native is “primed to make millions of dollars per year” thanks to the recent increase in exposure he’s received in the last year alone.
All things considered, it’s easy to see why many consider Pate a rising star in sports media. And if his recent social media activity is any indication, then ESPN’s interest in increasing his role is mutual.
College Football 📈📈📈 https://t.co/pAdWC0LmMS
— Josh Pate (@JoshPateCFB) January 13, 2026
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.