Jason Kelce is headed to Penn State to accept Pat McAfee’s field goal challenge on ‘College GameDay’

Kelce will be in Happy Valley for Saturday’s game against Ohio State.

Jason Kelce has been keeping busy since his retirement from football. This weekend, he'll be in Happy Valley for Penn State vs. Ohio State.Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Published Oct. 30, 2024, 1:22 p.m. ET

After nailing a field goal try in Vans on College GameDay, Cal student Daniel Villasenor challenged Jason Kelce to attempt a field goal try of his own in Timberland boots.

On Wednesday’s episode of New Heights, Kelce confirmed he’s heading to Happy Valley on Saturday for this week’s big game between No. 3 Penn State and No. 4 Ohio State — and accepting that challenge.

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Kelce had previously said on his podcast that kicking had become too easy, and the NFL needed to tighten the goalposts, something former punter and current ESPN host Pat McAfee took exception to — and invited Kelce to try it for himself in front of thousands of fans.

Now, with GameDay only a few hours up the road, Kelce has accepted the challenge.

“I’m officially going to Happy Valley, up to Penn State this week to try and kick,” Kelce said. “I’ve never been, I’ve never been to Penn State, Happy Valley, I’ve gone fly fishing in the area, but I’ve never been to State College, so I’m excited about this.”

Jake Elliott sent in a video of him attempting the kick in Vans at the NovaCare Complex, which he called a “superior kicking shoe.” Of course, Elliott drilled it.

Kelce isn’t as confident about his own attempt.

“I’m going to have to toe it,” Kelce said of his own kick. “You can’t do a soccer-style kick with [Timberlands] on. You’re not getting the proper ankle flexion, so I’m going to have to go Lou Groza, I’m going to have to toe it … The chance this thing goes straight is minimal.”

On College GameDay each week, Pat McAfee offers one student a $100,000 cash prize if they can make a 30-yard field goal. Villasenor missed his first attempt, but McAfee offered him a second one, and added another $100,000 to the $500,000 that was already pledged for Hurricane Helene relief. Of course, Villasenor drilled it.

If Kelce makes the kick Saturday, McAfee and ESPN will match a $100,000 donation.

“I’m concerned for a few reasons,” Kelce said. “One, I don’t know if you saw last week, but someone tore their ACL warming up … This is why I’m going straight on. I’m not giving it a plant leg, I’m just going straight through. I can’t do it, the Timbs is a factor that’s going to cause me a lot of issues.”

College GameDay kicks off — no pun intended — at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with the Top 5 battle between Penn State and Ohio State set to kick off at noon.