ESPN's College Football Anthem Decision Sparks Strong Reaction

31.07.2025 21:32

On Thursday, July 31, ESPN officially announced its song choice for the "anthem" of the 2025 college football season. A quick look on social media shows fans of the sport aren't entirely on board with the selection from the Worldwide Leader.

History of ESPN's College Football Anthem

Last year ESPN's college football anthem featured Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Jelly Roll and his single "Get By." The Worldwide Leader has collaborated with a musical artist for 12 years to create and anthem that "drives excitement and awareness around ESPN’s college football coverage."

Other artists over the years include: Post Malone, Fall Out Boy, Lauren Alaina, X Ambassadors, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Imagine Dragons, Judah & the Lion, Juice WRLD & Marshmello, DJ Snake & Rick Ross, and Yungblud.

The Newest College Football Anthem

As ESPN makes the final preparations for its college football coverage this fall, the network finally announced the newest anthem for the new season.

Mgk's ‘dont wait run fast’ off his new album, ‘lost americana’ will serve as the soundtrack for ESPN’s college football coverage all season across ESPN platforms and ABC.

This is what college football sounds like ????‍????
@machinegunkelly's unreleased track “dont wait run fast” is the official anthem of @ESPNCFB ???? pic.twitter.com/ZUfwXl6PaL
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) July 31, 2025

“Music and college football have been intertwined for years, and our ESPN College Football anthem ushers in that first spark of the season. This 12th iteration, mgk brings a passionate, high-voltage sound that mirrors the raw emotion and untamed spirit of college football," Curtis Friends, ESPN Vice President of Marketing, said in a statement.

Fan Reaction From the Song Choice

Fans flocked to social media to voice their displease with the latest choice from ESPN.

"Yes because nothing screams CFB like MGK. Astonishing miss," one fan suggested.

"Thought you couldn’t get worse than Jelly Roll last season but you managed to do the impossible," added another.

"bring back fall out boy," offered a third.

ESPN's college football coverage begins Saturday, Aug. 23 with a Big 12 showdown between Iowa State and Kansas State at 12 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, mgk's ‘lost americana’ is out on Aug. 8.