Zionsville native and University of Texas freshman Connor Kacena-Merrell won $1.2 million Sept. 12 during ESPN’s “College GameDay.”
Kacena-Merrell was the participant in Pat McAfee’s Kicking is Easy contest, which challenges college students to kick a field goal for money. Joining Kacena-Merrell were McAfee, the former Indianapolis Colts punter; ESPN commentator Kirk Herbstreit; and actor Matthew McConaughey, a Texas alumnus. “College GameDay” was at UT for the Texas-Ohio State football game.
McConaughey cheered on Kacena-Merrell before his kick.
“It’s gonna happen,” he said. “My man Connor’s got this.”
Kacena-Merrell, who graduated from Park Tudor School and played soccer, kicked barefoot with his left foot. His first kick had the distance but went wide right.
McAfee upped the ante, getting McConaughey and Herbstreit to contribute $100,000 each of their own money for a second kick.
This time, Kacena-Merrell didn’t miss, drilling the kick down the middle.
Prior to kicking, Kacena-Merrell, a computer engineering and business major, announced he would donate half of his winnings to Building Tomorrow, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that builds schools in sub-Saharan Africa.