Fourteen Laterals!

The Miracle in Mississippi

From the Group News Blog Sports Desk, this is Jesse Wendel with a sideways slanted story

Saturday, October 2, 2007 -- Jackson, Mississippi. Last play of the Southern College Athletic Conference title game between Millsaps College and Trinity University.

Play begins with two seconds remaining in the game, ball on Trinity's own 39 yard line. On a 16 pass play, 14 of them laterals, the "Miracle in Mississipi", Trinity passes, laterals, laterals, laterals, laterals, laterals, laterals, laterals, fakes a lateral, laterals, passes, laterals, laterals, laterals, passes, laterals, laterals, and laterals taking the football 61 yards for the game winning touchdown although certainly the total yards the football actually covered was closer to a a quarter-mile. At least, I think that's what happens.

You are cheerfully invited to put up your own call in comments. I do not promise to post a correction. I don't promise we'll ever get this right. Ever. Journalistic excellence? Ha! We're throwing it up in the air and slightly behind us on this story.

Division III College Ball in Texas produces some great games, but I've NEVER seen anything like this. Trinity wins 28-24 and wins the Championship -- how else -- on the lateral.

And the moral of this improbable 16 pass - 14 lateral Championship Win is: If the Ref ain't whistled the ball dead, throw it to someone; you just might win if you don't panic and nobody drops the ball.

From Jackson, Mississippi, this has been a GNB Sports Desk report. Good day.