ESPN’s “College GameDay” is going back to Bloomington for its second full show from the campus. The show announced that it will broadcast there on Saturday before the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers play the Minnesota Golden Gophers in a Big Ten game.

However, several fans who reacted to the news made it about one member of the crew, analyst Pat McAfee, and a few suggested the Halloween trip was his idea and his idea alone.

Defending Champion Hoosiers Get Another College GameDay Spotlight

The show’s first full visit was in 2024, when the Hoosiers beat the Washington Huskies. In 2017, it aired a shorter Thursday edition from campus for the season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

It has also followed the Hoosiers away from home in recent seasons, including to several College Football Playoff games during their national title run. Saturday will be their fourth straight week on a national pregame show, after FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff” set up at each of their previous three games.

The “College GameDay” X account posted: “Get ready, Bloomington! We’re coming to your city to see the defending champ Hoosiers against the upset-minded Gophers.”

Both teams are coming off close wins. The Hoosiers (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten) beat the Michigan Wolverines 13-6 in overtime when quarterback Josh Hoover ran for a 4-yard touchdown. It was their first win in Ann Arbor since 1967, and it came a week after a 19-15 loss to the Buckeyes that was their first defeat in nearly two years.

The Gophers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) beat the No. 15 Iowa Hawkeyes 13-10 at home. They forced four turnovers, and Luke Drzewiecki won it with a 46-yard field goal as time ran out.

The numbers don’t see much of an upset coming. Pro Football Network’s College Football Playoff Meter gives the Gophers a 5.5% chance to win in Bloomington and puts their playoff odds at under 0.1%.

Fans Turn the Conversation to Pat McAfee

One fan thought the reason for the pick was easy to figure out: “Pat made the call. Needed to be home in time for trick-or-treating. I get it.”

Another fan was more blunt: “This reeks of Pat McAfee choice.”

Not every fan took a shot at McAfee, though. Another wrote, “I like Pat McAfee. Pat was one of the first, and certainly one of the loudest, national backers of this Curt Cignetti-led Indiana Football program. I’ll never forget that.”

Others joked about McAfee’s on-air habits, one of which was on display again at his last stop. On Saturday, GameDay was in Salt Lake City for the No. 10 Utah Utes’ 21-13 win over the No. 14 Houston Cougars. McAfee went shirtless again there, after the school’s Instagram account poked fun at him, including his habit of taking his shirt off on the show.

When the panel made its picks, McAfee took the Cougars. “The university’s Instagram account posted something talking a little trash about me last night, which I certainly love,” he said. “Thank you, guys. I’ll never see you again, hopefully.”

One fan pictured how the Bloomington show might go: “Pat McAfee taking off his shirt while pouring up a double shot of whiskey.”

Then there’s the kicking contest. McAfee, a former NFL kicker and punter, started it on the show in 2023, with a fan picked from the crowd trying a 33-yard field goal for prize money.

In Week 7 in Provo, Utah, a BYU freshman won $3 million on his second try, with McAfee and two others each putting up $1 million. On Saturday, a Utah junior missed two tries at a $1 million prize.

That gave another fan an idea for Bloomington: “Whoever is selected for the kick should ask McAfee for $5 million this time.”

The playoff stakes are higher for the Hoosiers. PFN’s Playoff Meter gives them a 95.0% chance to make the College Football Playoff. That rises to 96.4% with a win and drops to 72.0% with a loss to the Gophers.

“College GameDay,” with Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, and McAfee, airs from 9 a.m. to noon ET on ESPN and ESPNU. Kickoff at Memorial Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.