Doc 5: Our Favorite College Football Tips -- No. 1 Nebraska
This offseason we will count down various topics from Monday through Friday, bringing you the top five of the important and definitely some not so important issues in college football. It's the Doc Five, every week until we will thankfully have actual games to discuss.
OUR FIVE FAVORITE COLLEGE FOOTBALL TIPS
NO. 1 NEBRASKA VS. MISSOURI, 1997
The top pick on our Doc. 5 list of our favorite college football tips is one of the most infamous tips in college football history. But to be fair, it wasn’t exactly a tip, it was a kick.
And it’s considered one of the most controversial plays in Missouri football history.
On Nov. 8, 1997, Missouri appeared to be on the cusp of beating Nebrska for the first time since 1978. The Huskers came into the game with an 8-0 record and were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll. They had only allowed seven points in their previous three games, but were looking at a 38-31 deficit late in the fourth quarter.
With seven seconds remaining and the Huskers at the 12-yard line, quarterback Scott Frost threw a pass intended for Shevin Wiggins. The ball bounced off Wiggins’ chest and hit a Missouri player in the foot and popped up into the air. Missouri safety Julian Jones tackled Wiggins and Wiggins’ leg flew up. His foot made incidental contact with the ball and kicked it into the air. Receiver Matt Davison was in the right place at the right time, dove and snagged the ball before it hit the ground for the game-tying touchdown.
It was one of the most improbable plays in college football history.
Nebraska would ultimately win 45-38 in overtime.
The play could have been called a 15-yard penalty if officials had determined the kick was intentional, but they declared it inadvertent and the play stood.
It was dubbed by many, the Flea Kicker.
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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter Follow @YahooDrSaturday
