Pat McAfee taunts former Penn State football player ahead of Week 1 matchup

In less than three weeks, the Penn State football program will open the 2023 season under the Beaver Stadium lights against West Virginia. The Nittany Lions are heavy favorites over the Mountaineers, and most don’t expect much of a contest in Week 1. However, that hasn’t stopped former NFL punter and talk show host Pat McAfee from believing in his alma mater. Sunday, McAfee took to social media to challenge his old NFL teammate, former Penn State football player AQ Shipley, regarding the upcoming matchup.

Pat McAfee calls out AQ Shipley regarding Penn State vs. West Virginia Week 1 matchup

While the 2023 Penn State football season opener against West Virginia is highly anticipated, it’s not nearly as marquee of a matchup as many hoped it would be when the home-and-home series was scheduled a decade ago. The Mountaineers have struggled to find their footing in the Big 12 Conference. Meanwhile, Penn State has experienced significant success under head coach James Franklin.

Penn State is nearly a three-score favorite heading into the primetime matchup on September 2. ESPN Analytics currently gives the Nittany Lions a 91% chance of starting the season 1-0. However, former West Virginia and NFL punter Pat McAfee still has plenty of confidence in his team’s chances. McAfee, who played for the Mountaineers from 2005-2008 and is currently a widely popular sports talk show host and College GameDay personality, took to social media to call out former Penn State lineman and Super Bowl champion AQ Shipley.

Bro…i literally just laughed out loud. What we bettin…

— AQ Shipley (@aqshipley) August 13, 2023

It’s fair to say McAfee and Shipley have had their run-ins over the years. Both grew up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, graduating from Plum and Moon Area High Schools, respectively, in the early 2000s. McAfee and Shipley each were selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft after successful collegiate careers. The two were teammates with the Indianapolis Colts on two separate occasions, first in 2012 and again in 2014.

AQ Shipley clearly took McAfee’s taunting in jest. “I literally just laughed out loud,” Shipley quickly replied to McAfee’s post. Even McAfee’s cohost on College GameDay, Kirk Herbstreit, got in on the fun. 

🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/xloUfMp5yJ

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) August 13, 2023

While it’s obvious the two former teammates were having a little friendly competition, it’s safe to expect the stakes to be dialed up a notch when the Mountaineers and Nittany Lions meet on the field in 20 days.

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