Another exciting Saturday morning on ESPN’s College GameDay brought yet another thrilling moment as a student attempted to convert a field goal for a life-changing prize. This week, the show made its first-ever visit to Cal, ahead of the Golden Bears’ big matchup against No. 8 Miami later that night. The highlight of the morning? A field goal attempt that could win a Cal student a hefty $75,000.
The lucky student chosen for the challenge was Daniel, representing Cal on the national stage. He was tasked with kicking a roughly 40-yard field goal—no easy feat, especially in front of a live audience and millions of viewers at home. The reward? $75,000. As Daniel stepped up for his kick, the tension mounted. He gave it his best shot, but unfortunately, he missed the mark. However, his kick was so impressive that College GameDay hosts Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit decided to give him another chance. This time, with even more on the line.
For his second attempt, the stakes were raised to $100,000, a jaw-dropping sum for any college student. But that wasn’t all—McAfee announced that ESPN would add another $100,000 to the $500,000 they had already pledged to Hurricane Helene relief efforts if Daniel could make the kick. The atmosphere on set was electric, with everyone holding their breath as Daniel lined up once more.
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With all eyes on him and the pressure mounting, Daniel calmly drilled the kick right down the middle, easily clearing the 40-yard distance. The reaction on the College GameDay set was pure pandemonium. Pat McAfee, a former NFL punter, erupted with excitement, as expected, while Kirk Herbstreit took off running in celebration, eventually chest-bumping the ecstatic student. The crowd went wild, cheering for Daniel’s clutch performance.
What made the moment even more memorable was the fact that Daniel nailed the kick while wearing a pair of Vans—shoes with no laces, adding to the challenge and underscoring just how impressive the feat was. Despite the unconventional footwear, Daniel’s accuracy and composure under pressure made him an instant legend on campus.
As for Daniel, his Saturday was already shaping up to be unforgettable, and now he has $100,000 to show for it. Not a bad way to kick off the day, and certainly a moment he—and the viewers—won’t soon forget.
Later that evening, Cal was set to face Miami in a game that added another layer of intrigue. Kicking off at 10:30 p.m. ET, the matchup at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley would be broadcast by ESPN, continuing the excitement of a jam-packed college football day. In this era of modern college football realignments, the Cal-Miami clash marked an unusual ACC matchup, but for Daniel, the thrill of his earlier victory undoubtedly overshadowed anything that could happen on the field.
No matter how the game ended, Daniel had already secured the win of a lifetime with his $100,000 field goal.
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