Pat McAfee pushes back on perception ESPN is anti-Notre Dame

In the aftermath of Notre Dame not being selected for the College Football Playoff, a narrative has emerged that ESPN’s alleged bias against the Fighting Irish is to blame.

One of the network’s biggest stars and college football personalities, however, is disputing that notion.

“Why wouldn’t they want Notre Dame when they can’t get Notre Dame any other time?” Pat McAfee asked on Wednesday’s episode of his eponymous show. “They can only get Notre Dame in the playoffs. Can’t get Notre Dame any other time. Notre Dame has its own TV deal with NBC because of how powerful it is. [College GameDay] started the College Football Playoff at Notre Dame last year. Literally launched the entire thing at Notre Dame. Why? Because ESPN could get a Notre Dame game. [ESPN president] Jimmy Pitaro’s kid goes to Notre Dame, I think. He’s the head of f*cking ESPN.

“I was watching that whole think unfold and I was like, ‘OK, alright. You don’t think we want to go there?”

McAfee proceeded to point out that his own show had Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua on his show late last week as it became clear that the Fighting Irish’s College Football Playoff spot wasn’t secure. The West Virginia product also said that he considers himself a “fan” of Notre Dame and that he believes the Fighting Irish often receive the benefit of the doubt from ESPN.

Ultimately, McAfee conceded that the network possesses plenty of influence, as would any entity that finds itself in partnership with an establishment as powerful and as complicated as the CFP. But when it comes to the perception that the Worldwide Leader in Sports has it out for Notre Dame, the College GameDay star seems to think that, if anything, the evidence shows that ESPN favors the Fighting Irish.