ESPN's “College GameDay” continued its meteoric ratings rise during Saturday's Halloween broadcast from Bloomington, Indiana. Despite criticism surrounding the program's direction and analyst Pat McAfee's prominent role, the show attracted another massive audience during Week 9.

“College GameDay” averaged 2.5 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched Week 9 broadcast in the program's history, which started back in 1987, according to ESPN PR. The final hour performed even better, drawing 3.2 million viewers. The network also shared that the show's overall viewership this season has increased by more than 4% compared to the same point last year.

The show aired live from Showalter Fountain at Indiana University from 9 a.m. to noon ET on ESPN, ESPNU, Disney+ and the ESPN App, ahead of No. 4 Indiana's game against Minnesota, which the Hoosiers won 23-16. Both teams connected on 60-yard field goals late in regulation before Indiana eventually emerged victorious. The Hoosiers hosted “College GameDay” for the third time in program history and the second under head coach Curt Cignetti, with ESPN having previously brought the show to Bloomington in 2017 and 2024.

The show welcomed Cignetti and Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita for live appearances, with former Indiana basketball star Isiah Thomas serving as guest picker. Adding to the festivities, the broadcast celebrated Nick Saban's 75th birthday with a Halloween-themed tribute.

However, the increasing viewership of “College GameDay,” hosted by Rece Davis with Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, McAfee, and Saban, has done little to quiet criticism of the program.

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McAfee's energetic personality has drawn complaints, with MSNBC host Joe Scarborough questioning the network's decision to prioritize him over other members of the panel. The Athletic's Will Leitch also argued that the program has become increasingly focused on improving its viewership numbers rather than providing a better experience for college football fans.

Nevertheless, the latest figures demonstrate that the show continues to attract substantial audiences. ESPN will head to South Bend in Week 10 for No. 11 Notre Dame's showdown versus No. 1 Miami. The upcoming appearance will be the program's 13th trip to South Bend, tying Florida and Tennessee for the sixth-most appearances in its history.