ROBERTO ORTEGA
Updated
Dressed as Spider-Man, BYU freshman Carter Smith stepped up in front of a roaring crowd at College GameDay in Provo. The students around him watched as the ball was set and the stakes were explained: a successful kick could trigger a $3 million prize package.
Smith’s first attempt hooked wide right. The crowd wasn’t ready for the moment to end, and its calls for another chance reached Pat McAfee. He gave Smith one more kick.
With everyone watching, Smith sent the ball through the uprights. BYU fans rushed toward him as the celebration erupted around the student who had just made one of the biggest kicks in College GameDay history.
The $3 million total included $2 million for Smith and a $1 million donation to charity. The prize money came from McAfee, BYU and Utah sports owner Ryan Smith, and Ryan Sweeney.
The kick happened on the College GameDay broadcast at BYU ahead of the Cougars’ matchup with Notre Dame. Smith had entered through a raffle after the original participant was disqualified for not providing identification.