A Tennessee fan walked away with a life-changing kick on Saturday morning, and he did it with Peyton Manning watching from the sideline.
Colby Lamb was the latest contestant in Pat McAfee’s weekly “College GameDay” kicking challenge, and this stop on Tennessee’s campus turned into another big-money moment for ESPN’s traveling show. Lamb missed on his first try, unlike the winners at Texas and Ole Miss in the previous two weeks, but he came back and drilled the second attempt in front of a packed crowd.
That made Lamb a $1 million winner. It also sent another $500,000 to The Pat Summitt Foundation, which was created by the school’s iconic women’s college basketball coach to benefit ALS research.
The scene had extra juice because Manning was in Knoxville for the weekend’s showdown between Tennessee and Texas. The former NFL star’s loyalties are in an interesting spot, though, since his nephew Arch Manning plays for No. 1 Texas.
Saturday’s kick kept the recent run of massive payouts rolling on “College GameDay.” A Texas fan won $1.2 million two weeks ago in Austin, and last week’s stop at Ole Miss produced another $1 million prize. That one seemed to ride the momentum right into the Rebels’ primetime win over LSU.
The Knoxville crowd made sure Lamb knew exactly what he had done, erupting as the ball split the uprights. Manning was there to see it, and so was a stadium full of fans ready for the main event.
There’s more star power on the way too, with “College GameDay” celebrity guest picker Johnny Knoxville set to be part of the day.
No. 14 Tennessee hosts No.
1 Texas at 12 p.m. ET on ABC, with both SEC teams trying to stay unbeaten.
In Other News...
Mississippi State Has Earned A Ranking Debate Fans Wont Ignore
Mississippi States fast start has turned what looked like a solid opening month into a real ranking conversation. The Bulldogs are 4-0 and already 2-0 in SEC play, with a win over No. 25 Missouri helping push them up to No. 16 in the AP Poll, and sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor has been one of the biggest reasons for the surge. Taylor has thrown for 1,192 yards and 14 touchdowns, tying for the national lead in passing scores and giving Mississippi State the kind of offensive punch that can make voters take notice.
The debate now is whether the Bulldogs have done enough to climb higher despite the company they still have to keep in the schedule. Teams ahead of them have stumbled, which only sharpens the argument around Mississippi States place in the poll, but the next stretch will say plenty about how serious this start really is. No. 7 Alabama is looming, and LSU is not far behind, leaving the Bulldogs with a chance to turn an early ranking into something much more difficult to dismiss. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Has A Heisman Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The late-September Heisman conversation had a few familiar faces in it, but Ole Miss had its own reason to pay attention. Across the weekend, standout performances from quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers around the country kept the race crowded, with individual game breakthroughs and efficient stat lines nudging certain players into the spotlight as the season starts to settle into its next stretch.
For Rebels fans, the issue is less about the national debate itself and more about what it says about where Ole Miss fits in that race. The review of the weekend's biggest efforts, along with a look ahead to upcoming matchups for some of those players, underscores how quickly the conversation can shift once October football gets rolling. Ole Miss can still make noise, but the path to having a true Heisman contender is starting to feel like a problem fans can't ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Trinidad Chambliss Gives Ole Miss Hope Despite One Ugly Warning Sign
Ole Miss left the loss to Florida with a sharp reminder of how quickly a game can get away from it when the defense cannot slow the run. The Gators piled up more than 300 rushing yards, turning the afternoon into a long one for the Rebels and exposing a problem that will need fixing if this team wants to hold up in SEC play.
Trinidad Chambliss still gave Ole Miss a reason to keep looking forward, though, because the quarterback handled a heavy load and produced one of the better individual outings of the day. He completed 25 of 34 passes for 298 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and added 44 rushing yards with two scores, giving the Rebels a clear offensive centerpiece even in a loss that raised more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]