Heading into the 2025 college football season, it was clear that it would be a year of transition for ESPN’s .
Lee Corso, who had served as a commentator on the show for nearly four decades, was retiring after one final appearance in Week 1. While no one could replace Corso, it had been clear since last year that ESPN had positioned Pat McAfee to be the new heartbeat of the show, with his wrestling-style promos for the home team serving as a solid new anchor for the show in the wake of Corso’s mascot-head pick.
But beyond taking over the final pick of the weekend, McAfee’s impact on has been felt since he first started appearing on the show, most notably with his kicking contest, where he invites a student from the crowd to attempt a 33-yard field goal with big money on the line.
The kicking contest has become a staple of , with McAfee and the show giving away $1.7 million last year after successful kicks between offerings to the students that make the kicks and several charities.
“It’s truly all Pat’s money,” ESPN vice president of production Matthew Garrett told before the start of the season. “He wanted it to be his. We are the beneficiaries of his generosity in making that moment happen.”
This year we’re tracking the results of each week’s kick on , and the money that McAfee is giving out in the process.
