The Play (American football)

The Play refers to a famous last-second kickoff return during a college American football game between the Stanford Cardinal and the California Golden Bears on November 20, 1982. The game is part of the Big Game series, a longstanding rivalry between the two teams.

Background

The 1982 Big Game was held at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. The game was closely contested, with both teams exchanging leads throughout. Stanford, led by quarterback John Elway, managed to take a 20-19 lead with just four seconds remaining after a successful field goal.

The Play

With only four seconds left on the clock, Stanford kicked off to California. What followed was a series of five lateral passes by the California team, which allowed them to return the kickoff for a touchdown, winning the game 25-20. The play is notable for its chaotic nature and the fact that the Stanford band had prematurely entered the field, believing the game was over.

Sequence of Events

1. The kickoff was fielded by Kevin Moen, who lateraled the ball to Richard Rodgers Sr. 2. Rodgers passed to Dwight Garner, who was nearly tackled but managed to lateral back to Rodgers. 3. Rodgers then lateraled to Milt McColl, who passed to Mariet Ford. 4. Ford made a final lateral to Moen, who ran into the end zone, crashing into a trombone player from the Stanford band.

Aftermath

The Play has become one of the most famous moments in college football history. It is often cited in discussions of improbable and controversial plays. The Pac-12 Conference recognizes the result as a California victory, despite some Stanford supporters' claims that one or more of the laterals were illegal.

Legacy

The Play is frequently referenced in sports media and has been the subject of numerous analyses and documentaries. It remains a defining moment in the California–Stanford rivalry.

See also

• List of historically significant college football games
• Miracle at the Meadowlands
• Music City Miracle

References

John,

 The Big Game: The Story of Stanford vs. Cal, 
  
 Sports Publishing LLC, 
 2003, 
  
  
 ISBN 978-1582615645,

The Play: A Classic Moment in College Football Full text,

 , 
 ESPN, 
  
  
 Accessed on: October 15, 2023.

External links

• Video of The Play on YouTube