Cal student wins $100,000 on field goal kick on ESPN Game Day

Article

Football fans are seen at UC Berkeley's Memorial Glade during a live broadcast of the ESPN College GameDay show before the school's NCAA college football game against Miami in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (Photo by Stephen Lam/ San Fr

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA. – Instead of white Vans, Daniel Villasenor wore gray ones when he made the 33-yard field goal kick that won him $100,000 at ESPN College GameDay on Saturday afternoon.

The sophomore was with sports analyst and former NFL player Pat McAfee 33 yards from the football goal post. On his first attempt to earn $75,000, Villasenor failed. But the second time his luck changed.

Villasenor successfully shot the ball through the goal post and took home $100,000.

Additionally, an additional $100,000 was added to a donation to 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 football in high school.

He told McAfee that he had arrived on campus around 11:40 p.m. the night before; an already packed venue for the pregame show.

SEE ALSO: The pregame of the 1st College Game Day at UC Berkeley attracts thousands of spectators

On Saturday, the Cal Bears hosted ESPN's College GameDay for the first time. According to the university's football media representatives, the game against the Miami Hurricanes was sold out with over 52,000 spectators.

(LR) Desmond Howard, Rece Davis, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit are on stage during a live broadcast of the ESPN College GameDay show at UC Berkeley ahead of the school's NCAA college football game against Miami in Berkeley, California