Central Michigan produced a miraculous play to claim an incredibly unlikely victory over Oklahoma State on the weekend, upsetting the odds and improving their record to 2-0 this season.
After going 14-0 up, it looked as though the 22nd-ranked Oklahoma State were going to stick with the form book and dominate the game, sealing a routine win.
However, Central Michigan fought back, and with the clock ticking down at the very end of the game, a penalty for intentional grounding was given, meaning there was time (or at least, the officiating crew said there was) for one last 'Hail Mary' play.
Quarterback Cooper Rush dropped back, found some space in the pocket, and threw the ball to Jesse Kroll, who had three players between him and the goal-line to evade. He opted to lateral to his team-mate Corey Willis, who set off for the other side of the field and hurdled over the line to get the game-winning score.
Laden with drama, it made for one of the most improbable and amazing plays in recent memory, and sparked scenes of delirious celebration from the entire team.
As it turns out, the whole thing was all a bit too miraculous, and the result has caused plenty of controversy. It seems that the officials misinterpreted the rule book and gave Central Michigan an untimed down that they weren't entitled to, essentially giving them the chance to win the game.
The repay crew also missed that particular element, and once the game had ended they were unable to overturn the result.
This has not gone down well with the Big 12 conference, and they have issued suspensions to the officiating team that were in charge of the game, while Oklahoma State's Athletic Director said: "In my mind, it is incomprehensible that a mistake made after time had expired cannot be corrected. The final score shows that Oklahoma State lost the game, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with it."
However, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was classy in defeat, taking responsibility for calling a play that could be interpreted as intentional grounding, and adding that he had to give credit to Central Michigan "for coming up with a great play and executing it as well as they did."
Via ESPN
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
