Pat McAfee Loses $550,000 of His Own Money in First Two Weeks of College Football

Samnur Reza | 06/09/2025
Pat McAfee, right, talks to Kirk Herbstreit on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025.

Week 2 of the college football season is here, and that means fans get to enjoy Pat McAfee’s signature kicking contest on ESPN’s College GameDay. Each week, students step up to test their legs and try their luck for a grand, cash prize.

So far … McAfee has been throwing stacks around like confetti, with back-to-back successful attempts from the contestants, and a jaw-dropping giveaway that’s already topped half a million dollars.

This week, McAfee and his crew (including Rece Davis, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit, and Desmond Howard) headed to Norman, Oklahoma, for the SEC-Big Ten matchup between two ranked teams: the Michigan Wolverines and the Oklahoma Sooners. Fans, as usual, gathered outside ahead of the on-field action to catch the exciting kicking contest.

This week’s lucky kicker, Jack Daugard from the Sooners’ lacrosse team, a lefty, had to drill a 30-yard shot… for a whopping $200,000 cash prize, plus another $100,000 going to Michigan’s charity, Light Beneath the Well.

And boy, did Daugard drill it. The pigskin sailed just a few yards above the uprights, but it went in, all right … costing McAfee, a former kicker himself for the Indianapolis Colts, a total of $300k. Even at the NFL level, that’s not easy money to make.

Last week, Logan Pallo, an OSU Sophomore, had $250,000 on the line for a 33-yard attempt. The kicking contest took place ahead of the Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Texas Longhorns matchup, where the defending champs opened the season with a win at home.

Pallo nailed it on his first try, too. And, with all of this, McAfee has already handed out a total of $550,000 for these contests, which he admitted this week is coming straight out of his own pocket.

“Yeah, Rece [Davis], I appreciate you saying that it’s my money. My wife, my daughter, my mom are happy to hear that reiterated. I think it’s very clear that no business would sign up to give away $250,000 because a kid can Ohio can kick a 30-yard field goal,” said the former kicker playfully.

So far, McAfee has handed out $1.1 million to students for made kicks, and another $1.25 million to charity. That’s a ton of cash.

This week’s cause, Light Beneath the Well, was started by Michigan football player Ernest Hausmann and aims to bring clean drinking water to underserved communities.

Post Edited By: Samnur Reza
College Football College Gameday Pat McAfee

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Samnur Reza

Samnur Reza is an NFL editor for The SportsRush. He holds a degree in English Honors and joined The SportsRush editorial team in 2023. Having previously worked as a freelancer and several media outlets, Samnur has been religiously following the National Football League for the past six and a half years. Samnur first started following football after Tom Brady's cameo in Ted 2. It wasn’t long before he found himself grabbing a bucket of popcorn to enjoy football games. Samnur now diligently follows most NFL athletes, their family members, and the NCAA. He considers himself a diverse writer, having covered almost every corner of the football world. He does, however, have a special interest in athlete-centric stories. Whenever they engage in off-field ventures or charitable activities, Samnur enjoys reading and writing about them. Samnur had already authored over 1500 NFL-based articles before becoming an editor. His editorial journey began just a little over two years ago. Beyond football, Samnur is a true cinephile with an extensive repertoire of films. He’s also fond of cats and has a furry friend named ‘Eva.’ During his free time, Samnur enjoys playing video games, currently immersed in Elden Ring (New Game +6).

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