Kirk Herbstreit addresses College GameDay's casting changes

Everybody is excited for the return of College GameDay on ESPN, including Kirk Herbstreit, but it’s going to look a little different in 2023.

While many of the staples are returning, including Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard and Rece Davis, along with Pat McAfee rejoining the crew for a second season, some changes will be made amid ESPN’s budget cuts. David Pollack was let go, and Chris “The Bear” Fallica is taking his talents to FOX, so the supporting cast is changing for ESPN’s flagship Saturday show.

Regardless, Herbstreit still can’t wait to get the season rolling, and he believes College GameDay will remain the top college football pregame show in America.

“It’s just a great fit. We’re incredibility fortunate to have that,” Herbstreit said, regarding McAfee’s addition to College GameDay on The Pat McAfee Show. “I’m not saying you’re — Lee’s [Corso] still on the show. Lee is still there. He’s going to be on it, and we’re going to all love Lee, just like we always have, but you bring some energy, which is great. But for David Pollack, a guy that you got to know really well last year, I’ve known him for a number of years. I was an advocate to get him on the show from Day 1. Gene, who I love. You know, we lost Tommy Rinaldi a couple of years ago. The Bear, who came in the first year I came on. Yeah, we love those guys. But the reality is, we have to move on to 2023 with our new team. I don’t think I’ve ever been, and I’m not just saying this, I told you this when all this went down, I’ve never been more like, excited. 28 years, can you imagine still being excited to do something? But I’ve never been more excited about the challenge of putting on a show this year than I am right now, and having you and Des (Desmond Howard) and Rece [Davis] and whoever, Jess [Sims] to put this show on, man.

“We’re coming off our best ratings ever. It’s not like the show’s going, ‘Oh, remember when they said,’ no, no, no. Best ratings ever last year. So to me, there’s a new bar raised, and we’re going to go above that this year, and I’m fired up. You know, I can’t wait.”

It may look a little different, but College GameDay is a beast, and the bones remain intact for the highly-entertaining program. It’ll keep on rolling into 2023, and it could be their best season yet.