Pat McAfee’s weekly kicking contest on College GameDay took a dramatic turn this past Saturday, when the original kicker, a student named Jake, suffered a severe injury just moments before he was set to attempt a 33-yard field goal for $300,000 in tuition money. Jake, who had camped out overnight for a chance to be selected, tore his ACL during warmups, and footage of the incident captured the shocking moment he collapsed in pain.
Boston Connor, a member of The Pat McAfee Show, shared a video that shows Jake’s knee buckling in what McAfee later described as a “gnarly” injury. Jake was quickly rushed to the hospital for treatment, leaving him unable to compete.
With Jake out, Indiana freshman Jeram Salles, who was the first alternate, was called in for the high-stakes kick. Salles, a finance major, hadn’t originally won the lottery selection but was ready to step in and take his shot.
McAfee, who had pledged $100,000 each to both Jake and Jeram if the kick was successful, encouraged Salles as he lined up for the kick. Unfortunately, Jeram’s first attempt missed wide left, dashing his chance at the $100,000 prize.
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Despite Stanford Steve’s advice against it, McAfee allowed Salles a second attempt, raising the stakes to $150,000. With the crowd on edge, Jeram kicked again, but the ball veered left once more, narrowly missing the target. In the end, neither Salles nor Jake won any prize money, though McAfee’s initial promise offered a glimpse of what could have been.
Jake now faces a long and likely expensive recovery, with hospital bills and rehabilitation ahead.
The contest usually brings excitement and hope to one lucky student each week, but this edition will be remembered for the heartbreaking injury that sidelined one student’s dream and the unexpected pressure on another to step up in his place.
