A Dummy With Michael Irvin’s Face: How College GameDay Finds an Unusual Way to Include Him in a Kicking Contest
A second chance for Milano
The contest took place Saturday on Library Lawn at Notre Dame, where the No. 11 Fighting Irish were set to face No. 1 Miami. Milano, a Notre Dame pre-med junior, was selected for a 33-yard attempt in Pat McAfee’s weekly challenge.
His first kick went just wide, bringing the usual second-chance opportunity. With $1 million at stake, the crew added tackling dummies as blockers for the next attempt.
Irvin appears on a dummy
One blocker carried Hall of Famer Michael Irvin’s face and wore an orange jersey numbered 26. McAfee introduced the blockers on air and on social media, tagging Irvin and noting another dummy connected to Bubba Gumpino.
The prop turned the field-goal obstacle into a visual joke linking the GameDay set with the wider football world. Irvin was not present.
The winning kick
Milano made his second attempt despite the unusual blockers, earning the $1 million prize. His successful kick prompted a strong response from the broadcast and social media as he celebrated before the crowd.
NFL great and Notre Dame legend Joe Montana was also there to watch. The account describes Milano’s first kick as both going just wide and narrowly missing short.
Notre Dame looks ahead
The moment came before Notre Dame’s major matchup with No. 1 Miami. The account raises the possibility that Milano’s kick could be a good omen for the Fighting Irish, but offers no answer.
Key points
- Michael Milano won $1 million after making his second field-goal attempt.
- A tackling dummy featured Michael Irvin’s face and an orange No. 26 jersey.
- The contest took place at Notre Dame before the Fighting Irish faced No. 1 Miami.
- Joe Montana watched Milano’s successful kick.