A Notre Dame fan let a life-changing amount of money slip out of his hands during Pat McAfee’s kicking contest on Friday evening.
Before the playoff game between the Fighting Irish and the Indiana Hoosiers, McAfee College hosted GameDay at Notre Dame with Kirk Herbstreit and comedian Shane Gillis.
During the pregame program, a Fighting Irish fan named Chris took part in McAfee’s kick challenge, with his first attempt worth $750,000. Unfortunately, the slippery surface got the better of him when he stepped up for the stairs.
After the hosts repeatedly instructed “No Slipping,” Chris took long steps back, measuring how to hit the ball between the goal post.
However, when he planted his left foot, the momentum of his swinging right leg caused Chris to fall to the ground, while the ball failed to gain an upward trajectory and flew straight into the open air.
Not backing down, he quickly gestured for him to try again, prompting McAfee and Co. were only too happy to do so.
A fan slipped while trying to win $1 million during Pat McAfee’s kick challenge on Friday
For his second shot, the stakes went up as it was now worth $1 million. The hosts and crowd of fans cheered as Chris lined up for his second attempt.
Although still slipping, the eager competitor caught himself on his way down and the ball went up and forward for several meters before turning away from the goal. Chris then planted his face on the slippery grass after coming so close to the seven-figure prize.
“Chris, great effort buddy, I’m proud of you,” McAfee said as he shook his hand.
“This wasn’t as expensive as it could have been,” the ESPN anchor exclaimed with relief after turning to the crowd. ‘The second attempt [was] much better than the first.’
“Eventually the slippery conditions will get you,” he concluded.
No. 7 Notre Dame hosts 10th-ranked Indiana in the first round of the College Football Playoffs. Both enter the game with an 11-1 record, with the winner facing No. 2 Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.