Beginning in 2023, ESPN analyst and former NFL kicker and punter Pat McAfee launched the ESPN College GameDay Kicking Challenge, where students earn five- or six-figure sums for successfully kicking a 33-yard “extra point.” The idea: show fans that kicking the extra point isn’t as easy as it looks on television.
This past weekend, however, an Ohio State sophomore made it look easy.
The gimmick, especially with McAfee at the helm, quickly became a fan favorite (so much so that the GameDay crew drove McAfee’s goalposts in a truck overnight from South Bend, Ind., to Columbus, Ohio, during a special two-episode, 24-hour expanded College Football Playoff edition of the show at the end of December).
Here’s how it works: Each episode, the crew picks one fan from the crowd of the game to kick a 33-yard field goal live on-air—the length of an extra point—in exchange for a monetary prize to help cover the cost of tuition and, in some cases, an extra amount for charity. Fans who are 18 or older and among the first 300 to show up to the broadcast are eligible—they just can’t be current or former college athletes, or under the influence of alcohol, or wearing shoes besides sneakers or cleats. Fans enter their name through a raffle, which takes place about 30 minutes before the show begins. (The official rules are on ESPN’s website.)
In 2023, only one student made the kick the entire season. Greyson Wilhelm, a Washington sophomore showed up to the GameDay broadcast with a sign that said “kicking is easy.” He earned $30,000 after converting on his second try.
Contestants had better luck last year. During the regular season, four students converted kicks for a total of $650,000. In some cases, McAfee offers to double the prize upon a second try, with a promise to give a portion to charity…or volunteers the show’s celebrity guest picker—most recently actor Glen Powell—to contribute.
Here’s a running tracker of all the students who have made kicks this year—for a total of $250,000 so far:
- Week 1 in Columbus for Texas vs. Ohio State: Sophomore Ohio State student Logan Pallo made the kick on the first try for a total of $250,000. He was originally offered $50,000, but McAfee upped it to $250,000 during the show—even taking a marker to add a “two” to the check Pallo held up after the game.
Editors’ Note: This story will be updated.
