Spider-Man Just Kicked for $3 Million: BYU Freshman Carter Smith's Second-Chance Kick Broke College GameDay

The short answer: BYU freshman Carter Smith, wearing a Spider-Man costume, missed his first 33-yard kick on ESPN's College GameDay in Provo on Saturday morning — then drilled his second attempt for a $3 million prize, the largest payout in Pat McAfee's "Kicking Is Easy" contest this season. Fans knocked down barricades, rushed him, and lifted him into the air as the clip exploded online.

What happened on College GameDay in Provo?

College GameDay returned to BYU for the first time since 2009, ahead of Saturday night's top-10 showdown between No. 8 BYU and No. 2 Notre Dame. During McAfee's weekly kicking segment, the crowd draw produced an unlikely star. According to BYU's Daily Universe, the first number drawn belonged to a fan who did not have ID and could not kick, so the crew drew again — and called Smith's number. Smith later admitted he had been hoping they would not pick him, because he did not want to make a fool of himself in front of the whole country.

Then came the twist on the money. The contest normally starts at $1 million. On Saturday the pot kept growing on air until it reached $3 million — $1 million each from McAfee, Utah Jazz governor and BYU alum Ryan Smith, and Smith's business partner Ryan Sweeney. BYU's Daily Universe reports the breakdown as $2 million to Carter Smith and $1 million to a charity of Sweeney's choice. Either way, it was presented on the broadcast as a $3 million kick, roughly double the contest's previous record and, per Bleacher Report, it pushed the segment's season total to $8.5 million given away.

How did the kick itself play out?

Smith's first attempt pulled off line — reports describe it drifting wide right. In most contests, that would have been the end of the story. Instead, McAfee gave him the contest's now-familiar second chance at the same full amount. Kirk Herbstreit stepped in with simple advice: slow down, because the first try looked rushed, and aim at the left upright. Smith, who said he was nervous, took the advice literally. His second kick came off his foot like a knuckleball — wobbling, not spinning cleanly — but it stayed straight enough, split the uprights, and set off the loudest moment of the morning.

The celebration matched the money. Fans surged past the barricades, mobbed Smith on the field area, and hoisted him up while he looked, in McAfee's words on the broadcast, like he was in a state of disbelief. The GameDay account summed up the costume angle perfectly: "With great power, comes great responsibility, and $3 million dollars."

Who is Carter Smith?

Smith is a second-semester BYU freshman from Honey Creek, Iowa, majoring in biology and hoping to become a dentist. He played soccer in high school and a little football, which helps explain a clean enough strike under pressure. The Spider-Man look was not a solo stunt: he and a friend wore matching suits so they would stand out and get into the crowd, after his friend bought three suits hunting for the right size. Smith had layered regular clothes over the suit for the cold morning, then stripped down to just the suit to kick — which is how a superhero ended up taking the most expensive kick in GameDay history.

Why is this blowing up?

Three ingredients made the clip irresistible. First, the visual: a full Spider-Man costume, minus the mask, in front of a mountain backdrop and a raucous Provo crowd. Second, the redemption arc: a miss, a second chance nobody expected, a coaching tip, and a wobbling kick that somehow stayed true. Third, the scale: $3 million for one 33-yard kick by a biology freshman who did not even want to be chosen dwarfs every previous winner this season, including the $1.2 million won in Austin earlier this fall. SportsCenter's clip of the moment racked up roughly 190,000 likes within hours, and the story was picked up across national sports outlets the same morning.

What happens next?

For Smith, the immediate question is the paperwork behind a prize assembled live on television from three separate pledges — a detail some coverage has already flagged, since on-air pledges are not the same as a signed check. For GameDay, the bar has moved again: the segment that began as a fun diversion is now producing the show's biggest weekly headline. And for BYU, the morning party was only the warm-up — the Cougars still had No. 2 Notre Dame waiting at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

Sources

FAQ

Who won the $3 million College GameDay kick?

BYU freshman Carter Smith, a biology major from Honey Creek, Iowa, who wants to become a dentist. He was drawn from the crowd after the first fan drawn had no ID.

Why was he dressed as Spider-Man?

Smith and a friend wore matching Spider-Man suits to stand out and get into the GameDay crowd; his friend had bought three suits to find the right size. Smith kicked in the suit after removing the clothes he had layered over it.

Where did the $3 million come from?

Pat McAfee, Utah Jazz governor Ryan Smith, and Smith's business partner Ryan Sweeney each pledged $1 million on air. BYU's Daily Universe reports $2 million going to Smith and $1 million to a charity of Sweeney's choice.

Did he make the kick on his first try?

No. His first 33-yard attempt missed, McAfee gave him a second chance at the full amount, and — after Kirk Herbstreit advised him to slow down and aim at the left upright — his wobbling second kick went through.