Pat McAfee threw down the ‘Horns Down’ all pregame, picking Ohio State. Never one to shy away from an opinion, he made his stance clear. Emotions are always dialed up to eleven for games like this. And the 2025 Goodyear Cotton Bowl between the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes was no less. But while the scoreboard crowned Ohio State victors, the evergreen host of the PM show certainly did not pull any punches as he delivered a gesture that at least one guy will remember dearly in Arlington.

The former NFL punter has never been one to mince words or play it safe. Before kickoff, Pat McAfee stood firmly in Ohio State’s corner, much to the chagrin of a lot of Horns towards him for that. On ESPN’s College GameDay, he declared his allegiance to North with the flair and bravado only he can pull off. Much as he loves the state of Texas, even after being in full cowboy attire, like McConaughey, he chose OSU football. But as the game unfolded, McAfee’s antics took a heartfelt turn.

It started as the clock wound down, and Ohio State clinched a hard-fought victory in Texas’ own backyard at AT&T Stadium. Amid the sea of scarlet and burnt orange, a young Texas fan, draped in his #1 jersey, stood just behind the end zone, his tears cutting through the stadium lights. The sight of the kid, heartbroken and visibly crushed, struck a chord with Pat McAfee.

Never one to shy away from a big moment, he made his way over and shook his hands, offering words of comfort that ESPN later captured and shared on Instagram with the caption, “This moment is what CFB is all about ❤️.”

He said, “That kid is awesome,” while describing the wholesome moment to Adam Carriker and others on the field. “That kid is everything that’s great about college football.” Coming from a man known for his over-the-top antics and sharp tongue, the sincerity of the gesture was a refreshing reminder that beneath the theatrics, McAfee truly gets what the sport means to its fans. For him, it wasn’t about the rivalry or the score; it was about recognizing the passion that fuels college football’s lifeblood.

McAfee didn’t stop there. After the game, he took a moment to tip his hat to the Longhorns, despite his pregame allegiance to Ohio State. “This was one hell of a season,” he admitted. “Keep that energy. Texas is back! Back-to-back years making it to the semifinals. It’ll only continue to grow.” For a guy who often uses “Horns down” as punctuation, it was as close to a compliment as Texas could ever hope for.

McAfee’s relationship with the Longhorns has always been complicated. He’s ribbed them on numerous occasions, famously stirring the pot when they faced Georgia and Oklahoma in the past. Yet, even with his playful jabs, there’s an undeniable respect for the program and its history. His dramatic pivot from playful antagonist to compassionate supporter in Arlington underscored just how much he values the sport’s emotional core.

Pat McAfee did an electric job on the mic too

The Cotton Bowl was a nail-biter, coming down to a dramatic fourth-quarter finale. And when it came to capturing the chaos and intensity, nobody did it better than the ever-energetic Pat McAfee. Calling the game on ESPN2’s Field Pass alternate broadcast, McAfee had plenty of golden moments—but his call of the game-sealing play, a strip sack from Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer, and the MVP of the game was pure electricity.

With Texas facing a desperate fourth-and-goal, McAfee set the stage perfectly. “Fourth and goal in the fourth quarter for the Texas Longhorns,” he declared as the pigskin was snapped.

The Cotton Bowl dilemma was unfolding before their eyes. Facing a daunting fourth down, the Longhorns were backed against the wall. And then, in a blink of an eye, chaos erupted. “Quinn Ewers pressured on fourth and 13. Jack Sawyer, give me that! Strip sack for Jack! He scoops, he runs! Jack Sawyer touchdown! JTT, Jack Sawyer, and this Buckeyes D with a punctuation mark on this Cotton Bowl!”

Fans loved McAfee’s raw, unfiltered energy that perfectly matched the game’s intensity. Proving once again that while he might not play it straight, he always plays it true.