College GameDay Kicking Contest Costs Pat McAfee and Home Depot Millions After Second Consecutive Student Winner
Two students have now won $1 million each in consecutive weeks through the 'Kicking is Easy' contest, significantly increasing payouts for the ESPN show and its sponsor.
The 'Kicking is Easy' contest on ESPN's College GameDay has resulted in a second consecutive $1 million payout to a student kicker, leaving host Pat McAfee and sponsor Home Depot facing a substantial bill.
Ole Miss finance major James Whitehead successfully kicked a 33-yard field goal on Saturday in Oxford, Mississippi, prior to the Rebels hosting LSU. Whitehead opted to attempt the kick barefoot, mirroring the action of the previous week's winner.
Just seven days earlier, a Texas freshman, Connor Kaceu-Merrell, also won $1 million by making a 33-yard field goal during the broadcast in Austin. However, Kaceu-Merrell's initial attempt went wide right, and he was given a second chance with an increased prize pool of $1.2 million, with $600,000 each for himself and his chosen charity. He made that kick, also barefoot.
"That's the best kick yet," said McAfee reacting to Whitehead's successful attempt. "Kid hustled us!"
In the first three seasons of the 'Kicking is Easy' competition, only four students made kicks, totaling $650,000 in prizes and charity donations. In the span of just two weeks, McAfee and Home Depot are now responsible for $2.2 million in winnings.
Whitehead told the Daily Mississippian that he plans to share some of his winnings with his friends. Kaceu-Merrell had pledged to donate half of his prize money to Building Tomorrow, a non-profit organization supporting educational opportunities for children in East Africa.
McAfee, a former NFL punter, launched the 'Kicking is Easy' competition in 2023 after joining the ESPN College GameDay team. He reportedly funded over $6 million in prize and charity money for the contest in its initial three seasons. Home Depot has since become a partner, matching McAfee's contributions.