sportingnews
The College GameDay crew, like many in the sports world, had to navigate the fallout from Friday's ground stop that began early Saturday morning. The Federal Aviation Association issued the order due to concerns over a telecommunications outage affecting air traffic control, and though it lasted only hours, the disruption impacted dozens of matchups, including the Oklahoma vs. Ole Miss game, which was pushed from Saturday at 4:15 p.m. ET to Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
College GameDay itself went off without a hitch, as the cast and crew had arrived before Friday's announcement. However, that didn't stop ESPN's flagship college football program from having some fun with the situation. During Saturday's show at Boise State, Pat McAfee paid humorous homage to the ground stop.
McAfee's Hilarious Entrance
McAfee, the punter-turned-analyst, was the last of the cast to arrive on set, prompting host Rece Davis to note, "And as you might have heard, people have had some travel difficulties. That includes Pat McAfee. I think Pat is trying to find his way here. We're certainly hopeful we find him soon and that McAfee can make it to the set."
The 40-something responded in style, riding onto the set on an old horse named Rodeo, accompanied by triumphant music. "Don't you worry about an airplane," McAfee proclaimed. "Don't you worry about an automobile. I'm riding on Rodeo. A horse that was, of course, built to be among these Broncos fans." Boise State fans embraced McAfee during his appearance, cheering him on as he made the long walk to the set.
McAfee showed humility upon arrival, thanking Rodeo for not "bucking [his] ass off." He admitted, "I have never rode a horse before. I certainly lied to them to let that happen."
Key Analysis
McAfee's latest appearance on College GameDay proved eye-catching. While his shtick can sometimes grow tired for some viewers, it seemed to enchant the Broncos faithful on Saturday morning—a welcome sight given the upheaval caused by the FAA's four-hour ground stoppage.
Originally reported by sportingnews.