We could not have asked for a better start to the football season Thursday. If you are rolling your eyes because it was Division II and FCS football, you do not love football.
We had several games go down to the wire and a handful of upsets in Week 0. West Florida came in as a 19.5 point underdog and knocked off Southern Illinois in their FCS debut, and three D2 teams walked into FCS stadiums and left 1-0. We also got our first fake punt of the year, a handful of gutsy two point conversions, and a few scrambles and catches that had no business being completed. We are back, and it feels good to sit at the desk and watch nothing but college football for four hours straight.
Without further ado, here are our top 5 plays from Thursday night.
*We tried to watch every game, but we only have so many screens.
5. Magic Stunt by West Florida
This is one of my favorite pressure paths, and West Florida uses it for a sack here.
4. Argos Pick 6
With 4:51 left in the second quarter, the Argos brought a 6 man pressure with blitz coverage behind it. Watch the corner’s patience and burst on the in breaking route. This is a great example of why you play man coverage at different levels and understand what the offense is trying to accomplish. The corner breaks, intercepts it, and takes it to the house to extend the Argos lead to 14.
3. The Catch
Early in the UT-Martin versus Central Arkansas game we got this catch on a shot play. The defensive back gets away with tying up one of the receiver’s hands, but he somehow comes down with the catch one handed for a huge gain.
2. Converting 4th & 12
Ohio Dominican played out of their minds at Morehead State, but got conservative late in the game and let Morehead come back from a big deficit to force overtime. In overtime, the Panthers faced 4th and 12 with the game on the line and came up with this play to save it.
The Panthers did not convert their two point conversion to win it, but they cash in on the next possession to win the game. If you missed this one, you might be kicking yourself today.
1. The Fake Punt
Our number one play is a fake punt from Southern Illinois. Why? It came in the second quarter, down 14, from their own 22 yard line. The Salukis needed a boost, and this call showed they came to win a football game. They ultimately fell to the Argos on the road, but this call takes nerves of steel at that point in the game. If they do not convert, the game might be out of reach before halftime.
It is a simple enough design out of the spread punt. Let the line release and throw what is essentially a screen pass, which must stay behind the line of scrimmage, to the personal protector. The Salukis execute it flawlessly and pick up a much needed first down and a swing of momentum.
Bonus: Swinging Gate
It is not football season until you get the first two point play off the swinging gate. Such an iconic formation in the history of football, and we love it.
Final Thoughts
There were plenty more fantastic plays from last night, but these are the ones we saw and captured. The main takeaway here is that college football is back, and with it comes the crazy plays, the huge upsets, and the most entertaining sport on earth.
If you saw a play last night that we missed, send it over and we will take a look. Also follow us on Twitter/X for live posts all throughout the football season.