Notre Dame’s stop on “College GameDay” delivered two big moments before the Fighting Irish ever kicked off against Miami, and both came with a pile of money attached.
Pat McAfee’s “Kicking is Easy” contest has been a cash machine throughout the 2026 college football season, with the ESPN personality handing out more than $14 million since the competition began. After recent stops at Ole Miss and Texas, the giveaway continued to roll, and Saturday’s scene in South Bend brought a different kind of energy.
Before the field goal challenge even started, Joe Montana showed up on set to help give pre-med student Michael Milano a boost. The Notre Dame and NFL legend was there for what turned into a memorable run for the left-footed fan, who said he had never kicked before but arrived in cleats anyway.
Milano pushed his first try wide right, then came back and drilled the second one even with McAfee cranking up the difficulty. The show added fake blockers to the setup, including one with Michael Irvin’s face on it, but Milano still came through and set off a wild reaction from the Irish crowd.
“NEVER A DOUBT! Michael took $1 million of @PatMcAfeeShow’s money and then hit Ronaldo’s calma celly on the second kick 🔥”
The day’s kicking drama did not stop there. Notre Dame’s leprechaun mascot, Riley, also stepped into the spotlight and took on a $500,000 kick for charity.
Riley missed just short on the first attempt, then made the second one to cash in for the cause.
“RILEY THE LEPRECHAUN STRUCK GOLD ON THE SECOND KICK 🌈☘️ $500K to charity!”
Montana and the Notre Dame faithful watched that one fall through, too, adding another jolt of momentum to a Saturday already packed with theater. The timing only made the scene feel bigger with No. 1 Miami set to visit later in the day.
Notre Dame hosts Miami in a matchup of AP Top 25 teams, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Notre Dame Stadium. The game will air on NBC and Peacock.
In Other News...
Miami Can Attack The One Notre Dame Flaw That Really Matters
Notre Dame comes into this matchup with the kind of overall defensive profile that usually makes an offense work for every inch, sitting first nationally in total defense. But the deeper dive shows where the Irish have been vulnerable, and it is the part of the field Miami is built to exploit. Notre Dames red-zone defense has been a problem all season, with opponents scoring on 88.9% of their trips inside the 20, a weakness that has shown up in losses and tight games alike.
Miami has been one of the most efficient offenses in the country when space shrinks and points matter most, turning 92.9% of its red-zone chances into points. That kind of finishing ability could loom even larger with Malachi Toney unavailable, because the Hurricanes may need to be more precise rather than more explosive to cash in against a defense that has otherwise been elite. If Miami can keep drives alive and make Notre Dame defend every snap near the goal line, that flaw could end up mattering more than the Irish would like. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Notre Dame Plan Hinges On One Massive Malachi Toney Unknown
Marcus Freeman is leaving Notre Dame room to prepare for a Miami offense that may or may not have Malachi Toney in it. The Hurricanes wide receiver suffered a high ankle sprain, had surgery and has been widely viewed as unlikely to play, but the Irish are still treating his status as a live possibility heading into the matchup. For Miami, the uncertainty matters because Toney has been a key piece of the offense, and his availability would shape how the Hurricanes try to attack a defense that will be studying every scenario.
Notre Dame also expects a boost on its own side with All-American cornerback Leonard Moore set to return after missing recent games with a concussion. For Miami, the bigger concern may be planning beyond this one game, since the Hurricanes have to adjust their offensive approach without Toney for the rest of the regular season and possibly the College Football Playoffs. Even with the injury report pointing one way, the Irish are acting as if they could still see him on the field, which is exactly the kind of wrinkle that can complicate a game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Loaded 2027 Class Just Added Another Huge Piece
Miamis 2027 recruiting class got even deeper with the addition of Brysen Wright, a five-star wide receiver from Jacksonville who has committed to the Hurricanes after reclassifying from the 2028 cycle. It is another major win for a program that has made a point of stacking elite talent early, and it further reinforces how aggressively Miami is working to keep the states best prospects close to home.
Wright joins a class that already features several other five-star names, giving the Hurricanes a group that is starting to look as imposing on paper as any in the country. For Miami, the bigger picture is clear: keep landing premier Florida talent, keep building around it, and keep pushing the 2027 class toward something that can shape the program for years. [Read more 🡒]