When BYU backup quarterback Tanner Mangum threw a last second Hail Mary pass, which found Mitch Mathews for a game-winning 42-yard score at Nebraska Saturday, it became an instant classic.
Or at least it will become one.
Although there were better plays made by both teams, the one that most directly affected the outcome was simply a desperate prayer thrown into the end zone, with the hope that the Nebraska defense would provide an opening—and they did.
Normally, defenses are taught to make sure you don’t let a receiver get behind you—and Nebraska did just that—but they got too deep and Mathews found room in front of them and snuck in for the game-winning catch.
History says we'll be replaying this rare, game-winning pass for years to come. Here are the other most memorable Hail Mary plays in college football to date:
1980–BYU/SMU: SMU held a 45–25 fourth-quarter lead with less than 3 minutes left in this Holiday Bowl classic before Jim McMahon and the Cougars mounted an incredible comeback. After a TD pass, BYU recovered the onside kick and scored quickly again to cut the lead to 45–39 with 1:58 left. They failed to recover a second onside kick, but the defense held and the ensuing SMU punt was blocked. With the ball at SMU’s 41, the Cougars had time for just three plays.
On the final play—still at the 41-yard-line—McMahon dropped back and heaved one into a sea of receivers and defensive backs in the end zone that was miraculously caught by Clay Brown to cap the come-from-behind win.
