College GameDay’s stop in Knoxville delivered the usual big-stage energy for Tennessee’s showdown with No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee, but the moment that really cut through the noise came from a student with a chance to cash in from 33 yards out.
Pat McAfee again turned his kicking challenge into a massive payday opportunity, putting $1 million of his own money on the line if a student could drill the field goal live on air. The first attempt came up short, but McAfee kept the moment alive by offering a second shot and adding another $500,000, this time as a donation to the Pat Summit Foundation.
The Tennessee student took the do-over and made it count, sending the ball straight down the middle to secure the prize.
🗣🗣ROCKY TOP YOU'LL ALWAYS BE
GOOD FOR YOU COLBY
WHAT A KICK #CollegeGameDay https://t.co/8FZvxKRohA
- Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 26, 2026
McAfee’s kicking contest has now been part of College GameDay for five years, and the money attached to it has climbed sharply in 2026. So far this season, he has put a million dollars or more on the line each week.
The $500,000 donation also carries extra meaning in Knoxville. The Pat Summit Foundation honors former Lady Vols coach Pat Summit and supports the fight against Alzheimer’s, the disease that ultimately took Summit’s life in 2016.
McAfee remains a polarizing presence, but there’s no arguing with the impact of moments like this: a student gets a shot at life-changing money, and a worthy cause gets a huge boost too.
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