ESPN’s long-running pregame program “College GameDay” was on the UC Berkeley campus on Saturday ahead of the Golden Bears game against eighth-ranked Miami.
Each week, one lucky student is selected from the crowd that gathers to watch “College GameDay.” The student gets the opportunity to kick a 33-yard field goal as part of “Pat McAfee’s Kicking Contest.” If the participant makes the kick, they win a cash prize.
But this week’s contestant featured a unique set of circumstances. A Cal student named Daniel needed to knock a kick through the uprights to take home $75,000, but he pushed the ball too far to the right. He was then given another chance, but this time $100,000 were on the line.
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Nov 3, 2018; Pullman, WA California Golden Bears helmet sits during a football game against the Washington State Cougars in the second half at Martin Stadium. (James Snook-USA TODAY Sports)
Before Daniel lined up for the attempt, McAfee informed the college student that “GameDay” was prepared to add $100,000 to its donation to Hurricane Helene relief efforts. The additional pledge brought the donation total to $600,000.
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While Daniel gained kicking experience during his time as a soccer player, he admitted Saturday was the first time he’d attempted to kick a football from such a distance. He also said he had arrived at the spot where the “College GameDay” set was located around 11:40 p.m. on Friday night.
Daniel’s shoes were a hot topic. He wore a pair of faceless Vans during the field goal attempt.
“Can we get a shot of the shoes?” EPSN’s Kirk Herbstreit asked moments before Daniel’s first attempt.
The Axe trophy before a game between the California Golden Bears and the Stanford Cardinal at California Memorial Stadium. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Even Cal head coach Justin Wilcox took notice of the engineering student’s footwear.
“My man Daniel with the checkered Vans,” Wilcox said during his visit to the “College GameDay” set. “Borrowed those Jeff Spicoli at Ridgemont High. Split it 33 yards. That’s my man. Daniel.”
Oct. 14, 2023: Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Miami Hurricanes helmet sits on bench as the Hurricanes play against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium. (Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports)
The kicking contest is in its second year, and it has provided viewers with some special moments.
In 2023, a Washington student became the first ever recipient of the cash prize. Students receiving second chance kicking opportunities has become somewhat of a normal occurrence. Earlier this season, a Texas A&M freshman named Lucas was picked from the crowd. But after a confident Lucas declared, “I can make this — I could go out right now and make a 45-yarder,” his first kick ultimately fell short.
However, Lucas was soon granted a second attempt. McAfee even agreed to double the prize, meaning Lucas would land $50,000 if he could get the football through the uprights from 33 yards away. Lucas made the most of his second chance by nailing the kick.
The California-Miami game kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET.
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Helene has caused an estimated $30 billion in damage across the southeastern U.S., according to analysis complied by California-based financial and consumer analytics company CoreLogic. The company also projects the financial impact to continue to increase.
Helene made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26 as a category 4 hurricane.
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