A true ringer won the chance to dip into Pat McAfee's bank account on College GameDay at Vanderbilt on Saturday morning.
Tyler Hwang, a chemical engineering and economics major at the school, won the draw to participate in the show's weekly kicking contest. Hwang divulged that he was not only a high school soccer player—a trend among the show's victorious kickers—but as a senior he kicked in some games for his high school football team.
What happens next indicates that he may have a future on Saturdays—if the chemical engineering and economics isn't quite lucrative enough.
More: Predicting Where ESPN's 'College GameDay' Will Head After Week 9 at Vanderbilt
With former Vanderbilt soccer star and kicker Sarah Fuller rooting Hwang on, McAfee tried to get in his head with a big offer, putting $500,000 to Tyler and another $250,000 to charity on the line for a single attempt.
McAfee may have known that Tyler had a kicking background. What he couldn't have known—what none of us watching could have known—is that Tyler is a stone cold killer.
Hwang looked natural in his approach, and with Kirk Herbstreit on the hold, absolutely drilled the kicked through the uprights. The contestants must hit a 33-yard field goal to win, the equivalent of an NFL extra point, but Hwang's looked like it was good from at least 45. We've seen some nice field goals on College GameDay this year, but this is clearly the most impressive of the entire contest.
TOOK PAT'S MONEY THEN HIT PAT'S CELLY 🔥
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 25, 2025
$500K to Tyler and $250K to charity 💰 pic.twitter.com/3GFqH3bnv8
A truly electric moment to help set up what should be a great day of college football.
How much money has McAfee given away in this contest this year? Head here for the full breakdown.
Editors’ note, Oct. 25 at 5:45 p.m. ET: An earlier version of this story misstated that the kick was 30 yards. In fact, the College GameDay kicking contest has contestants try field goals from 33 yards out, not 30 yards.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vanderbilt Student Might Have Future in Kicking After Nailing $500k Pat McAfee 'College GameDay' Kick.
