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A Brigham Young University freshman is still processing an unexpected financial windfall after he successfully kicked a field goal for $3 million during ESPN's College GameDay broadcast on Saturday. Carter Smith, who had camped out for the popular pregame show ahead of the BYU-Notre Dame matchup, shared his improbable journey during an interview on Monday.
Smith, a lifelong soccer player, was thrust into the spotlight when another student selected for the kicking contest—Pat McAfee's 'Kicking is Easy' challenge—was unable to participate because he lacked his physical ID. That twist of fate led to Smith's number being called, and he seized the moment despite his lack of football kicking experience.
Reflecting on the chain of events, Smith told KSL that he initially had little idea what the GameDay experience entailed. 'My buddy, Andrew, said, Do you want to go to GameDay?' Smith recalled. 'I said, What's GameDay? All I knew is that BYU was going to be facing Notre Dame, and there was going to be this big event.'
Wearing a Spider-Man costume, Smith waited in line from Friday into the early hours of Saturday. Around 4 a.m., the first 300 fans received numbered tickets for the pit. Several hours later, at approximately 8:30 a.m., show organizers called a number that wasn't Smith's for the 33-yard field goal attempt. However, the selected student couldn't kick because he didn't have his ID, so another number was drawn—and it belonged to Smith.
Despite his soccer background, Smith admitted he was hoping his number wouldn't be called. 'I didn't want to disappoint my family or the crowd,' he explained. But when his number was drawn, he embraced the challenge. He noted that he had played football in high school but was never the kicker, estimating he had attempted maybe two field goals in his life just for fun.
As the prize money climbed to $3 million—with $1 million commitments from McAfee, Smith Entertainment Group Chairman and CEO Ryan Smith, and Utah Jazz minority owner Ryan Sweeney—Smith's anxiety mounted. 'The pressure just kept stacking,' he said. 'I felt even more nervous about what I was going to have to do.'
His first attempt came while wearing Birkenstocks, which he described as unsuitable for kicking. Some spectators gave him running shoes, but they felt bulky and his kick went low and to the right. For his second chance, Smith took a different approach: he removed his shoes and kicked barefoot, aiming more up and to the left. The result was a successful kick that he described as a knuckleball rather than a beautiful field goal, but it went through the uprights. 'I was stoked,' he said.
In the aftermath, Smith has been flooded with messages from friends, family, and financial advisors. 'These last 24 hours have been kind of chaotic,' he said. 'I think it's a blessing. I'm grateful for it, and so I'm just trying to make the best of it.' He estimated he would owe at least $700,000 in taxes, plus tithing on top of that.
Smith marveled at how close he came to missing out entirely. 'I almost sold my ticket in line because I didn't want to spend the night for $400 to a guy on the sideline, and I didn't,' he said. 'I was supposed to get one kick, and I got two. I'm just kind of going with the flow and just remembering my goals and everything will work out. That's the big takeaway for me.'
Key Analysis
Smith's story highlights the unpredictable nature of live sports and the life-changing opportunities that can arise from seemingly minor decisions. His background as a soccer player, rather than a football kicker, underscores the transferability of athletic skills under pressure. The incident also raises questions about contest organization, as the original participant's lack of ID inadvertently created a second chance for Smith. Furthermore, the financial implications of such a windfall, including taxes and tithing, are significant for a college freshman, and Smith's acknowledgment of the need for financial advice reflects a mature understanding of his new reality.
Originally reported by headtopics.