Pat McAfee Show 2026 Schedule Update: Bowl Season Takeover and Return Date

The 12 p.m. ET slot on ESPN looks a little different today. Pat McAfee has traded his studio desk for the sidelines of the college football bowl season.

Pat McAfee Show 2026 Schedule Update and Bowl Coverage

According to Entertainment Weekly, The Pat McAfee Show didn't air a new episode on January 8, and it won't be back on Friday either. The absence is due to McAfee's commitments to College GameDay and his special 'Field Pass' broadcasts for both the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale and the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.

An ESPN representative stated that McAfee is preparing for Field Pass With The Pat McAfee Show, which offers entertaining, free-flowing commentary on ESPN2. In the meantime, the network is airing The Rich Eisen Show in his usual daily timeslot.

Sideline Access and the Jan 12 Return

Fans won't have to wait long for the regular format to return. The Pat McAfee Show is scheduled to resume its normal broadcast on Monday, January 12, at 12 p.m. ET. During the bowl games, McAfee will be joined by his usual crew, including AJ Hawk and Darius Butler, providing a unique sideline perspective that has become a staple of his partnership with ESPN.