A BYU freshman wearing a Spider-Man suit turned a routine “College GameDay” segment into a life-changing moment on Saturday, draining a 33-yard field goal and walking away with $3 million.
Carter Smith, a freshman from Honey Creek, Iowa, was picked for Pat McAfee’s “Kicking is easy” challenge on the Heritage Halls lawn at BYU. The setup was already massive: make the kick and win $1 million. But Utah Jazz and Mammoth owner Ryan Smith, along with business partner Ryan Sweeney, added another $1 million to the pot and matched it with a $1 million donation to charity.
Smith’s first attempt sailed wide right. But after the crowd pushed for another shot, McAfee gave him a second try.
Smith made the most of it. He split the uprights on round two and got swarmed by celebrating BYU fans moments later.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, so we just kicked it and hoped for the best,” Carter told reporters afterward. “I said a prayer right before ... God works in mysterious ways.”
Smith had played football and soccer in high school, but even getting the chance to kick looked like a stroke of luck. Fans could enter a raffle for the opportunity, and the original winner was disqualified for not providing identification. That opened the door for Smith, whose ticket number was called and who ended up with the kind of memory - and payday - most college students can only dream about.
“401K!”
Sounds like he’s just as fiscally responsible as his left foot is clutch.
In Other News...
BYU Gets Defensive Reinforcements Before Notre Dame With One Big Unknown
BYUs defense is getting some help at the right time, with linebacker Isaiah Glasker and strong safety Raider Damuni expected back for the matchup with Notre Dame. Glasker is slated to rejoin the starting lineup after recovering from injury, while Damuni is set to contribute in key defensive snaps even though he will not start.
The bigger question hanging over the Cougars is what the rest of the rotation will look like by game time. Running back Sione Moa has been cleared to play, but his status for the game is still unclear, and there has been no announcement yet on nickel back and punt returner Cannon DeVries. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Just Turned Notre Dame Into A Pride Statement
Fred Warner has become one of the more recognizable BYU alums in football, and now he is lending his voice to one of the biggest nonconference stages on the Cougars calendar. The former BYU linebacker narrated an official hype video ahead of the upcoming matchup with Notre Dame, a game the program is already casting as more than just another intersectional showdown. The clip leans into the schools shared faith-based backgrounds while also underscoring how far BYU has come since settling into the Big 12.
The matchup is set for October 17, 2026, with kickoff at 5:30 p.m. MDT on ABC, and it arrives with the kind of national visibility BYU has been chasing in its new conference home. Between Warners involvement and the messaging around the programs rise, the Cougars are clearly treating this one as a statement opportunity, even before the first snap is ever played. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Spider-Man Turned A GameDay Stunt Into An Unreal Provo Payday
Week 7 of ESPNs College GameDay in Provo produced one of those campus moments that people will be talking about long after the stage gets packed up. A BYU student named Carter, dressed as Spider-Man, stepped into Pat McAfees Kicking is Easy contest and turned a novelty bit into the kind of scene that can define a Saturday around the program, with the prize pool boosted by Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith and his business partner Ryan Sweeney.
Carter missed on his first try, but the second attempt changed everything, sending BYU fans into a celebration that fit the energy of a GameDay stop in Provo. It was the rare college-football sideshow that felt bigger than the gimmick itself, and for one student in costume, it also became the kind of payday that will linger as part of BYU lore. [Read more 🡒]