Detroit Jock City
Fansided

The Craziest Moments In Detroit Sports History

By Colton Wesley

Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson (20) dives into the end zone for a game winning touchdown as the clock runs out in the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Michigan State 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson (20) dives into the end zone for a game winning touchdown as the clock runs out in the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Michigan State 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 8
Next

“And he scores! On the last play of the game!”

There is a temptation to include this game based off of recency bias, but the finish to the Michigan-Michigan State game in 2015 was truly as unprecedented as any in college football since the band on the field.

More from Detroit Sports

Leading 23-21 with 10 seconds left in the fourth, the #12 Wolverines faced fourth down and brought on Blake O’Neill to punt the ball away. The Spartans put everyone on the line of scrimmage to rush O’Neill to try to block the punt.

The snap was low and O’Neill couldn’t hold onto it. He tried to pick up the loose ball and punt it but was hit as he tried to kick it and the ball bounded into the hands of Michigan State’s Jalen Watts-Jackson.

Watts-Jackson took off running and was tackled across the goal line as time expired to win the game for the Spartans.

The play was an amalgamation of misfortune and pure chance, combined with the high stakes of a rivalry game between two top-12 teams with College Football Playoff hopes on the line. Jackson, who had never carried the ball in a college game before, became the unlikely hero and paid for it with a broken hip suffered as he was tackled. He missed the rest of that season with the injury but said that he would do it all again.

Next: The Game Of The Century: MSU v. ND, 1966

The Spartans finished the season 11-1 before winning the Big Ten Championship game against Iowa and losing to #2 Alabama 38-0 in the Cotton Bowl in the College Football Playoff. Michigan finished 9-3 before defeating Florida 41-7 in the Citrus Bowl.

Home/Detroit Sports