‘College GameDay’ analysts called out over lack of college football knowledge beyond Big Ten-SEC

‘College GameDay’ analysts called out over lack of college football knowledge beyond Big Ten-SEC

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‘College GameDay’ analysts called out over lack of college football knowledge beyond Big Ten-SEC
Sacramento State
Credit: ESPN

Last week, Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit were wowed by guest picker Caitlin Clark’s college football knowledge beyond the biggest games.

They might have wanted to pick her brain a little, as their lack of knowledge about games outside the SEC and Big Ten showed this weekend.

It’s nothing new that GameDay doesn’t spend much time discussing Group of 6 and non-Power 4 games weekly, and it often becomes abundantly clear how littleits analysts think of those teamsonce playoff conversations kick in. It’s one thing to gloss over them, but some viewers have noticed an uptick in GameDay personalities flaunting their lack of knowledge about those games and taking delight in proving how little they care.

A perfect example was during Saturday’s gambling picks segment when McAfee presented his “Superdog” of the week. He selected Sacramento State while casually admitting he knew absolutely nothing about them.

“How about this Sacramento State, plus eight and a half over Bowling Green,” said McAfee while Herbstreit chuckled at the mere mention. “I know next to nothing about both these teams,” he continued, as Desmond Howard started to laugh.

“It was pretty ripe and picked over by the time whenever we got to my selection of SuperDogs, because everybody gets their picks in early,” added McAfee.

“I felt the same way,” Rece Davis said.

“Sacramento State just got dog-walked in their last game. They’re coming back with a vengeance.”

“How about Fresno State at home in the valley, getting a touchdown against Boise State?” Davis asked, confirming why he agreed with McAfee. “You know, Fresno State has won the last three meetings. They’ve got “Speedy” Luke at running back, Jayden Mandal’s been a good quarterback…”

“Is that a conference game?” asked Herbstreit.

“It is; it’s a Pac-12 game now,” added Davis.

It’s true that Fresno State and Boise State are a Pac-12 game this season, but they’ve been conference foes every season since 2001, except 2011. Not to mention the fact that both teams are 4-1 and Boise is nationally ranked.

Obviously, College GameDay’s bread and butter is the biggest college football games of the week, especially those involving the Big Ten and SEC. No one expects Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee to offer keen insights into New Mexico State’s football program.

However, there’s a difference between a lack of knowledge and gleefully flaunting that gap, especially when your program is, on paper, supposed to celebrate the sport, not just the 24 biggest teams.

And people have noticed that lack of care.

While it might be silly to expect Herbstreit, who spends half the week focused on calling the NFL, and McAfee, who has his weekday show and 15 other things going on, to lock in on Group of Six football, that’s also kinda the point. What was once a show hosted by college football people for college football people has evolved into something else.

The ratings will tell us this is all working for a lot of viewers. And the chorus saying, “If you don’t like what College GameDay is doing these days, it isn’t for you,“ keeps getting louder. But situations like this make you wonder: if it’s not for college football sickos and die-hards, who IS it for?

The solution? GameDayneeds to get Timothy Chalamet back on the set ASAP. That guy knows ball.

The post ‘College GameDay’ analysts called out over lack of college football knowledge beyond Big Ten-SEC appeared first on Awful Announcing.

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