Connor Kecena-Merrell wins 1.2 million dollars in College GameDay kicking contest

Texas freshman Connor Kecena-Merrell successfully kicked a 33-yard field goal during the College GameDay broadcast in Austin on Saturday. The attempt followed an initial miss at a 1 million dollar prize, with Kirk Herbstreit and Matthew McConaughey contributing additional funds to bring the total to 1.2 million dollars. Under a new format, Home Depot has partnered with Pat McAfee to provide financial matching for the prizes awarded during the show. Kecena-Merrell intends to donate half of the winnings to the nonprofit Building Tomorrow. The contest's future was uncertain at the conclusion of last season, but it has returned for its fourth year. Pat McAfee remains involved in contract extension talks with ESPN regarding his various hosting duties.

• 5:37 PMYahoo Sports — Revamped Pat McAfee Kicking Contest Pays First Winner $1.2M