Virginia reminds us all why attention to detail is important
The outcome of Virginia's eventual 55-15 win over Abilene Christian on Saturday night was never in doubt, but the spread... the spread was very much in doubt down to the very end.
After ACU scored to cut their deficit to 49-13 with 1:26 to play, Virginia took over with the obvious goal of running out the clock and putting their fourth win of the season in the books.
The ensuing kickoff was downed, but not fair caught, at the Virginia 5, and their first down play lost two yards. And so with 34 seconds left of a 36-point blowout, Virginia apparently decided to try to what was at once the most daring and most pointless trick play in college football history -- a double pass from their own end zone.
Scott Van Pelt and Stanford Steve will take you the rest of the way.
Turns out, Virginia's players were probably just as confused as the SportsCenter crew was, because that play was never supposed to happen.
Remember when Ryan Day said earlier this year Ohio State scored a touchdown on Nebraska because the Buckeyes didn't have their victory formation personnel in the game? Well, Virginia didn't have its "double pass in our own end zone" personnel in the game.
"[Offensive coordinator] Robert Anae was off a line [on his play chart]. He called in the wrong play at the end," Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall said after the game. "We were trying to run out the clock and we end up getting a double pass called out of our own end zone. It’s a complete accident … It shows you what being off one line can do, maybe in your life, but also in a football game, where you can go from running out the clock to a double pass."
That is an amazing quote right there by Bronco. Simply amazing. A sincere congratulations to all involved who made this happen.
