In Case You Missed It, One Of The Wildest Plays In Cincinnati Football History
By Chris Bains
Oct 19, 2013; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A fan dressed as Waldo during the game between the Connecticut Huskies and Cincinnati Bearcats game at Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats won the game 41-16. Mandatory Credit: Rob Leifheit-USA TODAY Sports
In their long history of playing collegiate football, the Cincinnati Bearcats have probably never produced a crazy play like the one we saw on Saturday against the UConn Huskies. Now I can’t verify that, obviously. For all we know a play like this one occurred in one of the two games UC played against some team called “Stumps” way back in the early 1900’s. With a name like Stumps, you just know some Bermuda Triangle-like stuff occurred against that opponent.
In any case, on Saturday we were witness to one of the wildest plays in UC football history. Let me take you through it.
It was third and 16 with the Huskies desperate for a touchdown or at least a field goal down 24 points midway through the third quarter, UConn’s freshman quarterback Tim Boyle lobbed a pass deep down the left sideline. UC’s freshman safety Mike Tyson read the ball perfectly, picked it off at the Cincinnati 5 yard line, and raced downfield towards the opposite endzone. But just a few yards away from crossing the goal line, Tyson was stripped from behind by a trailing UConn wide receiver Deshon Foxx. The ball flopped end over end out of the back of the endzone. 87 yards after the interception, UConn was getting the ball back on their own 20 yard line by way of a touchback.
Heartbreak! The swing of emotions on this play was incredible, from jubilation on the interception and run back to immediate confusion and sorrow when Tyson fumbled the ball out of the back on the endzone. I know I needed a few replays to understand what the heck happened. Take a look and let me know if you feel the same way.