# The greatest play in college football history **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 19, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597 "2009-04-19T05:20:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/21 "2009-04-21T23:26:20Z")
It’s hook and lateral. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/22 "2009-04-21T23:51:10Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Still…it was a D-III game. The lower the level of competition, the less extraordinary this kind of play is. Besides, all subsequent lateral-fest plays like that one are basically copies of Cal-Stanford. The improvisation factor put that one on another level of football greatness. The involvement of the band put it on yet another level. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/23 "2009-04-22T00:38:34Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It’s hook and lateral. Actually, [nobody is quite sure](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_and_lateral#.22Hook_and_Ladder.22). ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/24 "2009-04-22T19:34:21Z")
Also, while I wouldn’t say it’s up for consideration as greatest play ever, it deserves an honorable mention: [Tyrone Prothro’s catch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz7r5OL3xWc) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/25 "2009-04-22T19:55:49Z")
Gotta go with The Play…GO BEARS! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/26 "2009-04-22T23:03:26Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > [“The Play”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYSsIuL5ku0) (Stanford Band). I was there. (My only link to sports immortality.) ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/27 "2009-04-23T19:49:52Z")
> [@Airblairxxx](#): > > I was there. (My only link to sports immortality.) Me too. We share in immortality. As was alluded to above, not only was it a remarkable series of desperation laterals to keep the game alive (which is what it has in common with the Trinity game), but, in the words of Joe Starkey, “THE BAND IS OUT ON THE FIELD!” which adds a level of weirdness. And, oh yeah, it was at the conclusion of the one of the longest and most intense rivalry games in college football. Think OSU - Michigan, Army-Navy, Texas-Oklahoma. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/28 "2009-04-23T20:01:11Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Me too. We share in immortality. > > As was alluded to above, not only was it a remarkable series of desperation laterals to keep the game alive (which is what it has in common with the Trinity game), but, in the words of Joe Starkey, “THE BAND IS OUT ON THE FIELD!” which adds a level of weirdness. > > And, oh yeah, it was at the conclusion of the one of the longest and most intense rivalry games in college football. Think OSU - Michigan, Army-Navy, Texas-Oklahoma. OU-Texas is going to be epic this year. As an OSU fan, I want to score tickets. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/29 "2009-04-23T20:34:10Z")
> [@Airblairxxx](#): > > I was there. (My only link to sports immortality.) Did you get the T shirt? The one with the traditional Xs and Os for the players and a bunch of notes for the band? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/30 "2009-04-23T20:45:50Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > Did you get the T shirt? The one with the traditional Xs and Os for the players and a bunch of notes for the band? I know I used to have one, but I haven’t seen it in a while…it may not have survived the house moves since then (and the additional poundage I’m carrying). ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/31 "2009-04-26T03:23:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Actually, [nobody is quite sure](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hook_and_lateral#.22Hook_and_Ladder.22). [I rest my case.](http://thezoneblitz.blogspot.com/2008/10/don-strock-its-hook-and-lateral-not.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/32 "2009-04-26T03:30:40Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > 2007 Fiesta Bowl. [Boise State vs. Oklahoma](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDyE6sA5s7c). > > That’s just the final play. I prefer the final 1:30 or so in regulation. I can’t link to any youtube shit, but if this is what I think it is, IT WINS! Even coming from a Trojan, where the “Bush Push” and numerous Simpson, White, Bush, Palmer, Allen and other plays have been run down our throats for eras. That Boise State play simply kicks ass! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/33 "2009-04-27T12:48:40Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Even coming from a Trojan, where the “Bush Push” I’m not even sure why a USC fan would hold up the Bush Push as a great play. Besides it’s being an illegal play (though as an ND fan, I’ll admit that it would never be called anywhere), the 4th and 18 (or whatever the long yardage was) pass by Leinart to get the ball down there was much more dramatic and impressive. Best worst game I’ve ever been to. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/34 "2009-04-27T13:00:31Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > As was alluded to above, not only was it a remarkable series of desperation laterals to keep the game alive (which is what it has in common with the Trinity game), but, in the words of Joe Starkey, “THE BAND IS OUT ON THE FIELD!” which adds a level of weirdness. You probably have to give it to a game where life, more-or-less, imitates an iconic pop song from the early 70s. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597/35 "2009-04-27T13:36:50Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > [I rest my case.](http://thezoneblitz.blogspot.com/2008/10/don-strock-its-hook-and-lateral-not.html) That wasn’t the first time the play was run, it was just the first famous example. Anyway, it wasn’t called “hook and lateral” in Miami’s playbook, it was “circle curl lateral 81” or something like that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-play-in-college-football-history/493597.md?page=1)