Cal student wins $100K in field goal kick during ESPN Game Day
Football fans are seen at UC Berkeley's Memorial Glade during a live broadcast of the ESPN College GameDay show, ahead of the school's NCAA college football match against Miami in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (Photo by Stephen Lam/San Fr
BERKELEY, Calif. - Unlike in a viral Vine video from 2016, Daniel Villasenor was wearing gray Vans instead of white ones when he made the 33-yard field goal kick that won him $100,000 Saturday afternoon during ESPN College GameDay.
The sophomore was with sports analyst and former NFL player Pat McAfee, 33 yards away from the football goalpost. On his first try, to earn $75,000, Villasenor missed the shot. However, his luck turned the second time around.
Villasenor successfully punted the ball through the goalpost, taking home $100,000.
Additionally, an extra $100,000 was added to a donation marked for Hurricane Helene relief efforts, bringing the donation total to $600,000, ESPN reported.
Villasenor is no stranger to kicking. The civil engineering major previously played soccer in high school.
He told McAfee that he arrived at the campus around 11:40 p.m. the night before; an already-packed venue for the pregame show.
SEE ALSO: 1st College Game Day pregame at UC Berkeley draws crowd of thousands
Saturday marked the first time the Cal Bears hosted ESPN's College GameDay. According to the university's football media reps, their game against the Miami Hurricanes was sold out with an attendance of over 52,000.
(L-R) Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, and Kirk Herbstreit are seen on stage during a live broadcast of the ESPN College GameDay show at UC Berkeley, ahead of the schools NCAA college football match against Miami in Berkeley, Calif