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· collected 2026-09-06 · by TOI World Desk
Pat McAfee offered $500,000 from his own money for a student to make a 33-yard field goal on ESPN's College GameDay, which was matched by Home Depot to total $1 million. LSU freshman Bruce missed the kick twice and lost out on the prize. This was one of several high-stakes challenges hosted by McAfee since he introduced the feature in his second season as an analyst, with McAfee having personally put over $6 million into student prizes and charitable donations. The challenge has produced multiple student winners, including a $400,000 prize shared by two Georgia students in 2024.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Pat McAfee, a former NFL punter and sports analyst, has invested $6 million of his own money into GameDay prizes and charity. The weekly kicking challenge on ESPN's College GameDay broadcast in Baton Rouge offers students a chance to win large cash prizes. During the 500th road broadcast of College GameDay, which marked the network's 40th season, an LSU freshman named Bruce was chosen through a random raffle to compete for a $1 million prize. Bruce missed two field goal attempts, including one on a 33-yard kick, and lost out on the chance to win the huge prize. McAfee had offered $500,000 of his own money, which was matched by sponsor Home Depot, making the total prize $1 million.
Written for “Pat McAfee's NFL Gamble” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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No political leaning scored for article 5920 · logged 2026-09-06
An LSU undergraduate missed out on a life-changing $1 million (£760,000) prize on national television after missing two field goal attempts during ESPN's College GameDay broadcast in Baton Rouge.
asserted
undergraduate → miss → Rouge
The high-stakes challenge saw sports analyst and former NFL punter Pat McAfee offer $500,000 from his own money.
asserted
McAfee → see → money
Show sponsor Home Depot then matched the amount, raising the total prize to $1 million.
asserted
Depot → match → million
According to reports from EssentiallySports and Yahoo Sports, the contest took place during the 500th road broadcast of College GameDay, as the network began its 40th season outside Louisiana State University's campus quad.
uncertain
network → accord → quad
Double trouble on the 33-yard mark
The contestant, an LSU freshman named Bruce, was chosen through a random raffle from students who had arrived early inside the broadcast area.
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who → name → area
Under the contest rules, non-varsity students must make a standard 33-yard field goal.
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students → make → goal
With $1 million at stake, Bruce stepped up for his first attempt, but the kick went wide.
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kick → step → attempt
Following the segment's tradition of giving contestants a second chance, McAfee offered Bruce a mulligan for the full $1 million prize.
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McAfee → follow → prize
However, the second kick also went wide, leaving the crowd disappointed and the prize unclaimed.
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kick → go → crowd
After the second miss, McAfee posted a video of the kick on X with the caption: "NO GOOD AGAIN GOOD EFFORT BRUCE."
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McAfee → post → caption
The live kicking challenge has become one of College GameDay's best-known segments since McAfee introduced it during his second season as a permanent analyst.
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McAfee → become → analyst
Since the feature began, McAfee has personally put more than $6 million of his own money into student prizes and direct charitable donations at university campuses across the US.
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McAfee → begin → US
"McAfee put up $500k for a successful kick.
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McAfee → put → kick
Home Depot said it would match whatever McAfee offered for the full season," EssentiallySports wrote in its report on the event.
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EssentiallySports → say → event
In previous contests, McAfee has donated money to charities or university hardship funds even when students missed their kicks.
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students → donate → kicks
However, no additional charitable donation was announced after the Baton Rouge misses.
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donation → announce → misses
Although the opening weekend ended without a winner, previous seasons have produced several student millionaires and large charitable donations.
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seasons → end → millionaires
During the 2023 season, Washington student Greyson Wilhelm became the first contestant to make a winning kick.
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Wilhelm → become → kick
He won $30,000 on a second attempt.
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He → win → attempt
The prize amounts grew sharply in later seasons.
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amounts → grow → seasons
In 2024, Georgia students Henry Silver and Belle Sessions shared a $400,000 prize after making a 33-yard kick.
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students → share → kick
The successful attempt also triggered an additional $400,000 donation towards hurricane relief.
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attempt → trigger → relief
Other major wins came at Vanderbilt, where student Tyler Hwang won $500,000 along with a $250,000 charitable donation.
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Hwang → come → donation
At Texas Tech, John Machtolff made a second-chance kick to win $250,000, with another $250,000 going to charity.
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250,000 → make → charity
With Home Depot promising to match McAfee's prize offers throughout the college football season, the weekly kicking challenge will continue giving students the chance to win seven-figure prizes at future College GameDay broadcast locations.
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challenge → promise → locations
