Pat McAfee Makes Change to Kicking Contest on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’

ESPN analyst Pat McAfee held the “College GameDay” kicking prize at $1 million in Salt Lake City on Saturday, one week after outside pledges pushed a BYU student’s winning kick to $3 million.

Utah junior Morgan Boring, a chemical engineering major and swimmer who told McAfee she’d never kicked a ball, asked about the BYU payout before her attempt. “Wait, wait, wait. The BYU guy got $3 million,” she said. Her kick barely left the ground.

Who is Morgan Boring?

This kick will be for ONE MILLION DOLLARS..

I HOPE MORGAN MAKES IT

NO GOOD #CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/0uDIpYIeCD
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 24, 2026

Boring came to President’s Circle in a hat that read “Listen to Morgan.” She said it was a nod to country singer Morgan Wallen and first-year Utah coach Morgan Scalley, and that she got the idea from Utes running back Wayshawn Parker.

“Wayshawn Parker had this hat, and I was like, ‘I need it. I need something like this,’” Boring said.

The Utah junior pitched a different event when McAfee asked about her kicking background. “No, I’m a swimmer,” she said. “Let’s swim over there. I’ll do a swimming competition.”

McAfee addresses kicker selection

Kirk Herbstreit plays catch with a fan during Pat McAfee’s “Kicking is Easy” Contest at ESPN’s College GameDay — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Before the kick, McAfee took on questions about how contestants get picked. “There’s been a lot of discussion about how we choose the kickers,” he said. “Remember, it is a raffle.”

Kirk Herbstreit asked whether those concerns had been settled. McAfee then added, “Three hundred people get a raffle ticket every single Saturday morning, and then it is randomly selected.”

The $1 million offer is the contest’s standard 2026 prize, split between McAfee and Home Depot, which matches his weekly pledge. In Provo last week, Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and his business partner Ryan Sweeney each added $1 million before BYU freshman Carter Smith made his second attempt.

The former Colts punter pointed to those donors when Boring raised the BYU figure. “Yeah, there were two billionaires on the side,” McAfee said. He later added, “If you find another billionaire out here that is able to give, we will certainly put their money up.”

Herbstreit said the chemical engineering major was “going Lou Groza style” as she lined up. “Toe kick. I think she has a chance,” McAfee said. “She’s a swimmer. She’s an athlete.”

How much has McAfee given away?

“More than $14 million handed out by Pat McAfee in the Kicking Is Easy contest,” host Rece Davis said as he introduced the segment.

This season’s winners include Texas freshman Connor Kacena-Merrell, who made a $1.2 million kick in Week 2. Tennessee sophomore Colby Lamb’s Week 4 make paid $1 million plus $500,000 for charity. Smith’s $3 million kick in Week 7 set the contest record.

Boring is the second woman this season to miss a seven-figure attempt, after Iowa freshman Finley Banfig in Week 5 in Iowa City.

No. 10 Utah (6-0) hosts No. 14 Houston (6-1) at Rice-Eccles Stadium at 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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