The college football world descended upon Provo this weekend for the BYU and Notre Dame football game, according to an Oct. 18 report. ESPN's College GameDay took place on the Brigham Young University campus on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026.
The west lawn of Heritage Halls served as a mini-village for students preparing for the ESPN production. Many students spent Friday night in a line stretching several hundred yards to enter "The Pit," a fenced-off section containing 500 students located directly behind the stage.
During the broadcast, Pat McAfee addressed the crowd and participated in a high-stakes kick challenge. After a student was disqualified for lacking identification, BYU freshman Carter Smith was selected to attempt a kick for $1 million. Following pressure from the panel, Utah Jazz and Mammoth owner Ryan Smith and business partner Ryan Sweeney contributed an additional $1 million each. Smith successfully completed the kick on his second attempt, earning $2 million while the remaining $1 million was designated for charity.
The ESPN panel included several notable figures. 1991 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard and former Alabama coach Nick Saban predicted a Notre Dame victory, while McAfee sided with guest panelist and Hall of Famer Steve Young.
Local residents noted the significance of the event. Eagle Mountain resident Carter Jones, who was eight years old during the previous College GameDay visit in 2009, stated that the BYU team's recent success and arrival in the Big 12 Conference makes the program a compelling new story for the college sports landscape.
This visit marked the first time College GameDay has been at Brigham Young University in 17 years, with the previous appearance occurring in 2009 for a Mountain West matchup against TCU. Observers suggested the event could provide increased exposure for Provo and Utah County.
