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 Notre Dame Hype Just Reached Another Level
The buzz around Miamis trip to Notre Dame has already spilled into the ticket market, where the matchup has become the priciest seat in the 2026 college football season. At Notre Dame Stadium, the average purchase price has climbed to $753, a record for the venue and a pretty clear sign that this one has captured the imagination well beyond South Bend.
It is not hard to see why. Games like Texas-Texas A&M and Ohio State-Texas are also drawing premium prices, a reminder that rankings and playoff implications can send demand soaring before a snap is even taken. For Notre Dame fans, the next marker arrives Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, when the stadiums most expensive ticket gets its first real payoff. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Just Got Pulled Into Notre Dames Weirdest GameDay Moment
College GameDays Kicking Is Easy contest at Notre Dame turned into one of those Saturday scenes that only college football can produce. Pre-med junior Michael Milano stepped into a 33-yard field goal attempt and missed his first try, but the setup only got stranger from there as he was given a second chance with tackling dummies lined up as blockers.
One of those dummies featured Michael Irvins face, adding to the oddity of a moment already drenched in GameDay theater. Milano then drilled the kick, and with it came the $1 million prize, giving Notre Dame fans a surreal little subplot to go with the bigger show on campus. [Read more 🡒]
Villanovas Response To Notre Dame Just Sent A Clear Message
Villanova came out of its home game against Holy Cross looking every bit like a team eager to put a rough stretch behind it, rolling to a 95-66 win behind a balanced offensive burst and a dominant night on the glass. Devin Royal led the way with 22 points, while Luigi Suigo added a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds as the Wildcats controlled the action from start to finish.
For Notre Dame, the part worth watching is how Villanova handled the moment after the Irish had been part of the conversation around the matchup. The Wildcats did not just win, they looked sharp doing it, and Holy Cross never found much rhythm, shooting 33.9% from the field and 31.8% from three-point range. If Notre Dame was looking for a sign of how Villanova might respond, it got one. [Read more 🡒]