While Pat McAfee’s presence on ESPN’s “College GameDay” may split some fans down the middle, colleagues like Rece Davis continue to heap praise on the still-rising sports media star as an energetic addition to the beloved pregame show.

McAfee and his “Pat McAfee Show” colleagues recently commented as Chris Vannini of The Athletic shared poll results showing a near-50 percent disapproval rating from more than 3,000 readers’ viewing habits midway through the college football season.

Never one to back down from positive or perceived negative spotlight, McAfee addressed it on the air.

‘Oh there’s a poll that says 50 percent of the people that watch your show on Saturday mornings that you’re a part of hate you.’ It’s like, well, gotta talk about this. I mean, this is something that has to happen.”

McAfee was a placekicker at West Virginia before the Indianapolis Colts selected him as a punter and kickoff specialist in the seventh round of 2009 NFL Draft. He retired from professional football in 2017 and entered the media sphere as an analyst for Fox Sports and then ESPN, with whom he’s currently signed. He also developed and hosts “The Pat McAfee Show,” which he currently licenses and simulcasts to ESPN.

The always-animated McAfee has a big personality that has catapulted him to sports media stardom with the growth of his daily show that includes weekly interviews with celebrities like Aaron Rodgers and Alabama football head coach Nick Saban.

Depending on the outlet, a glance at the comments section of certain social media posts featuring the dynamic media figure will confirm that some fans are somewhat divided on McAfee, many praising his high-energy persona with others critical of his addition to the storied pregame show. But with millions of fans and social media followers, plus the obvious faith ESPN has in him as a newly established media star, McAfee’s star should only continue to rise.

“They act like I’m brand new to the show,” McAfee said of critical fans. “Like, 2019, I was on a bunch, then COVID happens. Last year, I was on every single show sitting in the same exact seats that I’ve been sitting in. We’re at the point now where these people shouldn’t hate me anymore. Normally, I get dropped in front of a new audience: ‘Boy, this guy’s the f—-n’ worst.’ from the same group of people. And then like five months go by if they keep up, and they’re like, ‘OK, don’t hate this guy. This seems like who he is … don’t love it, but I don’t hate him as much.’ We’re like two-and-a-half years into this college football thing with ‘GameDay” and these people are still like, ‘Nope, f–k this guy.’ It’s like, g—–n. I thought I’d have ‘em won over by now. I have not.”

McAfee reiterated his love for “College GameDay.”

“Being on that show is awesome,” he said. “No matter how bad some of these humans hate me from the college football crowd, I still feel very, very lucky to be part of that show and part of college football.”

ESPN anchor and “College GameDay” host Rece Davis met with local media Friday ahead of the show’s Saturday broadcast ahead of the Alabama-LSU game in Tuscaloosa. In light of McAfee himself addressing the scrutiny, AL.com asked Davis what the former Pro Bowl punter has meant to the ESPN show.

“He’s been incredible,” Davis, a University of Alabama alumnus, said. “I mean, he’s a great teammate. He works his tail off. He’s unbelievably creative and thoughtful. He brings energy.”

A veteran of sports media who has worked at ESPN since the late 1990s and hosted “GameDay” for nine seasons, Davis said you only have to visit the set to see the unique element McAfee brings to the show.

“I’ve done this for a long time,” said Davis, who also guested on McAfee’s show in Tuscaloosa on Friday. “I have never seen anybody with the connection to this crowd and the innate feel of how to do it like he has. It’s a remarkable thing. And he’s also extraordinarily respectful of what this show means in the landscape of college football. He’s just been an incredible teammate.

“The energy he’s brought. The way he can bring the crowd up and feel it when they need a little juice and the way he is just spontaneous in response. It’s 34 degrees in Salt Lake City last week. They’re chanting ‘Take it off! Take it off!’ And he rips off his shirt. He didn’t sit in the office and say, ‘Hey I’m gonna go out there and take off my shirt.’ He felt it. It was the right thing to do in the moment. He’s just got a terrific sense about that. We love having him on the show.”

“I probably shouldn’t say this, but I’m going to anyway,” Davis said. “Bob Knight was a great friend of mine. He passed away this week. And one thing Bob was most famous for or one of the things he said most famously probably resonates. You know, you get in this business sometimes, you might as well hope they bury you upside so your critics can, you know … I’m not gonna say it, but most of you know the Knight quote. If you don’t, you can look it up.”

Knight died Wednesday. He was 83. The actual Knight quote, which he said in 1994: “When my time on Earth is gone and my activities here are passed, I want they bury me upside down and my critics can kiss my ass.”

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