SHODAN LIVES
Notes and links from @colemanm.

The Gator Flop, 1971.

Ever seen a football team totally forfeit a touchdown? As a Gator alum, I can’t believe I’d never seen this wild play:

In case you don’t know the story, here’s the short version: Miami and Florida were both having miserable seasons when they squared off at the Orange Bowl for the final game of the 1971 season. But the game still had plenty of juice — in part because of the schools’ longtime rivalry and in part because Florida quarterback John Reaves needed 343 passing yards to break Jim Plunkett’s NCAA career passing record of 7,544 yards.

With time winding down and Florida winning by a lopsided score of 45-8, Reaves was still 10 yards shy of the record. Miami had the ball and was slowly driving for a meaningless touchdown — too slowly for Florida’s taste. Fearing that time might expire before Reaves could get the ball back, the Florida defense repeatedly called timeout. But Miami kept creeping down the field.

That’s when the Florida defense played its trump card: As Miami snapped the ball from the Florida 8-yard line, the Gators players fell down on the job — literally. They simply flopped to the ground, giving Miami quarterback John Hornibrook an uncontested touchdown.

Read the full story including comments from some of the players involved.

(via @brezinger)