Pat McAfee amazingly pays for all $250k 'College GameDay' kick winners personally

Most people wouldn't volunteer to give away their hard-earned cash on live television. Pat McAfee isn't most people.

Every Saturday, the ESPN host puts his own money on the line, giving one "College GameDay" a chance to win $250,000 by making a 33-yard field goal.

Of course, the network could shell out its own money instead of McAfee's, but there's an added element of intensity knowing that the prize comes straight out of his pocket. Though some colleges have opportunities for students to win money or full tuition scholarships, like the Dr. Pepper Tuition Toss, it's McAfee's kick contest that goes viral every Saturday.

The segment has become the second-most popular piece of the 'College GameDay' show, following the end-of-show picks, and it was all McAfee's idea. The former Indianapolis Colts kicker pitched the kicking contest to the execs at ESPN when he joined the "GameDay" crew in 2023.

WHAT A KICK ‼️

The first Pat McAfee kicking contest of the season earns this fan $250,000.pic.twitter.com/R6Exk8ZD8r
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) August 30, 2025

"It's truly all Pat's money," ESPN VP of Production Matthew Garrett told The Athletic's Chris Vannini. "He wanted it to be his. We are the beneficiaries of his generosity in making that moment happen."

McAfee's deal with ESPN, a five-year contract, was worth $85 million. Still, the former kicker is giving up a pretty penny for his beloved segment. Last year, winners of the contest took $1.7 million from him. McAfee will often up the ante as well, offering double or nothing after missed kicks or additional money for charitable causes.

"When Pat came on, it really changed the energy of the show and the trajectory of where we were willing to go," Kirk Herbstreit told The Athletic.

Kirk Herbstreit, Pat McAfee — Pat McAfee, right, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN took a big leap by making the former podcaster a main centerpiece of the "College GameDay" show, and it's paying dividends.

The program had its highest ratings ever in Week 1 as the crew said their farewells to legend Lee Corso. It managed to maintain high ratings in Week 2 with a 22% increase in viewership over Week 2 last season.

.@CollegeGameDay's Wk 2 show @OU_Athletics finished as the 2nd most-watched reg. season episode EVER

🏈 2.6M viewers - up 22% over '24 Wk 2
🏈 3.3M final-hour viewers
🏈 Beat the competition by 172% head-to-head final hour
🏈 3.7M full show peak pic.twitter.com/ZCZRHILEKt
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 9, 2025

One lucky fan in Knoxville will get a chance to kick for McAfee's money on Saturday as "College GameDay" pulls up for the Tennessee-Georgia matchup.

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —

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