A former Underwood High School athlete kicked a 33-yard field goal on national television over the weekend and walked away with a $3 million prize. Carter Smith, a Brigham Young University freshman from Honey Creek, Iowa, made the kick during Pat McAfee's “Kicking Is Easy” contest on ESPN's “College GameDay” in Provo, Utah.
Smith got the chance after the contestant originally picked could not attempt the kick, according to Yahoo Sports. When his number was called, the 2025 Underwood graduate was wearing a Spider-Man costume and Birkenstock sandals, hardly the gear of a millionaire kicker.
How the Kick Happened
Smith had camped out with a friend before the show and received a ticket that put him in line for the life-changing attempt, KSL reported. Show workers called a number that was not his first, but when the original contestant could not take the kick, Smith stepped up.
His first attempt did not go well. People in the crowd lent him a pair of running shoes, but they were bulky and the kick sailed low and to the right.
“I was in my Birkenstocks, and so obviously it's not a good shoe to be kicking a football,” Smith told KSL. “Some of the people in the crowd actually gave me a pair of running shoes. They were kind of bulky, and so when I kicked, it just felt off.”
On his second try, Smith took off the shoes entirely, aimed up and to the left, and split the uprights from 33 yards out.
“(The second time) I was aiming more up and to the left. I took my time this time. I took my shoes off. I ran up and kicked it, and it felt good,” Smith said.
Where the $3 Million Came From
The prize pool grew with help from McAfee, who owns the Utah Jazz and the Utah Monmouth, along with Jazz minority owner Ryan Sweeney, FOX 13 reported. The base prize for the contest was $1 million, and the additions pushed Smith's payday to $3 million for a single kick.
Not bad for a player who was never even his high school team's kicker.
An Iowa Small-Town Background
Smith played four years of football at Underwood and soccer his whole life, but kicking was never his job on the field. He told KSL his experience came almost entirely from soccer, including two years playing the sport while serving a church mission in Argentina.
“I played soccer basically my entire life,” Smith told KSL. “I served my mission in Argentina, so I stayed playing soccer that whole two years. I played football in high school the whole four years, but I was never the kicker. I think I've kicked maybe two field goals in my entire life just for fun outside of games, so really my experience came from playing soccer.”
His record at Underwood backs that up. As a senior on the soccer pitch, Smith started 13 matches and recorded one goal with three assists, Sports Illustrated reported. As a junior, he scored three goals and added five assists, and he also played for the Eagles as a sophomore.
On the football field, Smith registered 11 tackles, one reception, and one interception as a senior. That Underwood team reached the Class 1A state semifinals before falling to West Lyon. He also played football for the Eagles as a junior.
Why the Story Resonates in Iowa
Smith's win is the kind of story that plays well across small-town Iowa. A kid from Honey Creek, a community of a few hundred people in Pottawattamie County, camps out with a friend, gets a ticket, and ends up kicking a football barefoot in front of millions of viewers on ESPN.
No special training. No kicking coach. No five-star recruiting profile. Just years of soccer fundamentals, some nerve, and a willingness to take the shot when his number got called.
Underwood, a town of roughly 2,300 people, has produced its share of athletic moments over the years, but a $3 million barefoot field goal on national television is a new one for the Eagles' record books.
What Comes Next for Smith
Smith is a freshman at BYU, where the kick happened on the Provo campus before the Cougars' game. His appearance on “College GameDay” turned into the kind of payday most college students cannot imagine, and the video of the barefoot kick has circulated widely since the weekend.
For a young man who spent two years in Argentina serving others before starting college, the windfall comes early in a journey that is just getting started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Carter Smith?
Carter Smith is a Brigham Young University freshman from Honey Creek, Iowa, and a graduate of Underwood High School, where he played football and soccer for the Eagles.
How much did Carter Smith win?
Smith won $3 million after making a 33-yard field goal in Pat McAfee's “Kicking Is Easy” contest on ESPN's “College GameDay.” The base prize was $1 million, boosted by contributions from McAfee and Jazz minority owner Ryan Sweeney.
Was Carter Smith a kicker in high school?
No. Smith told KSL he was never the kicker in high school and had kicked only about two field goals in his life for fun. His kicking ability came from years of playing soccer, including during a two-year church mission in Argentina.