GoCertify Recaps College Football Season: What's the Play of the Year?

'Tis the season for family, food, gift giving and, of course, football! The college football bowl season has arrived, and it's time to vote for the GoCertify College Football Play of the Year!

 

Each week during the season we posted what we thought was the best play from the previous weekend on the GoCertify Twitter account. We're now going to put each of those plays up against each other, and let you, our amazing readers, decide which play topped them all.

 

Here are the nominees:

 

Week 1: BYU Prayer is Answered

BYU fights back to within one point against Nebraska, setting themselves up for a nail biting final play. With only :01 left on the game clock, freshman Quarterback Tanner Mangum takes the snap at the 42 yard line and, after buying some time, launches a "Hail Mary" to the goal line where it is caught by senior wide receiver Mitch Mathews for a game-winning touchdown.

 

Week 2: Washington State Climbs the Ladder

Washington State needed a win against Rutgers after a terrible loss week one. They got the win in the form of a last-second touchdown. With :13 left on the game clock, WSU quarterback Luke Falk found River Cracraft who went up high for the catch in the back of the endzone.

 

Week 3: Ole Miss "Just like we drew it up" Touchdown vs. Alabama

Before handing Alabama their only loss on the season, Ole Miss found some points with a play that left everyone shaking their head. A scrambling quarterback Chad Kelly tossed the ball up for grabs in the direction of his best playmaker. Alabama's DBs bats the ball, but it goes directly into the hands of Ole Miss wide receiver Quincy Adeboyejo who takes it 66 yards for the touchdown.

 

Week 4: TCU Outlasts Texas Tech

The Horned Frogs found themselves down 4 points with :29 left. On 4th and Goal from the 4, Trevone Boykin rifles a pass to his top receiver in the end zone, who can only get a hand on it. The ball is miraculously tipped into the hands of teammate Aaron Green for the touchdown.

 

Week 5: Clemson's Drenched Goal Line Stand

In a rain-soaked game, Clemson relied heavily on its staunch run defense to stop then sixth-ranked Notre Dame. Notre Dame scored a touchdown with :07 left, putting them within two. The ensuing two point conversion attempt was stopped by the Clemson defense, sealing the victory.

 

Week 6: Texas Socks It to Rival

The Longhorns knew that the only way they could beat their rival Oklahoma was to take the lead early. They did that with a powerful 24 yard run from wide receiver Marcus Johnson. Texas rode the momentum to victory. ESPN named this the upset of the year over then tenth ranked Oklahoma.

 

Week 7: Michigan State "Scoop and Score"

Who can forget this heartbreaking play? All Michigan needed to do was punt it away to seal its victory. The punt was mishandled and the ball went right into the hands of Jalen Watts-Jackson who returned it 38 yards for the touchdown as time expired.

 

Week 8: Georgia Tech Game-Winning "Kick 6"

Florida State needed kick a field goal to beat Georgia Tech. The kick was blocked, picked up by Georgia Tech's Lance Austin who returned it 78 yards for a game winning touchdown. This was listed as Number 2 on ESPN's list of upsets of the year.

 

Week 9: Miami's Controversial Eight-Lateral Thriller

Miami's Corn Elder was the recipient of the team's 8th lateral on the final kickoff. He took it 75 yards to the house to win the game. There were approximately 5 missed penalties on the play, and a downed knee on about the 4th lateral, but it's still crazy fun to watch!

 

Week 10: Arkansas 4th and 25 Game-Saving Backwards Heave

This play changed the landscape of the SEC title game, and likely the college football playoff. On 4th and 25, a pass to Hunter Henry was well short of the first down, so with the game on the line he threw a no-looker over his shoulder. The ball was picked up by running back Alex Collins who ran for the first down. The Razorbacks would go on to win the game.

 

Week 11: Oklahoma Game-Sealing TD Run

Samaje Perine runs up the middle, jukes, throws a stiff arm and finds himself in the end zone after 55 yards. This touchdown sealed the game and kept the Sooners' playoff hopes alive.

 

Week 12: Mississippi State One-Handed Catch-and-Run

Fred Ross does it all with this play. After an impressive one-handed grab, Ross shakes his defender and jukes another to get in the end zone for a 55-yard score.

 

Week 13: Texas Tech "Victory Formation" Flea Flicker

Texas Tech lined up in victory formation with two minutes left on the clock against Texas. It's hard to tell exactly what happened next, other than the fact that Jakeem Grant was soon running down the sideline for a touchdown.

 

Week 14: Clemson Stays Undefeated with Timely Interception

With an undefeated season and a sure punched ticket to the college football playoff on the line, Clemson made big plays down the stretch against North Carolina. One of those big plays was a score-stopping interception by Cordrea Tankersley.

 

Which play was best? YOU DECIDE.

 

Which of our college football play of the week selections was the best play of the season?

WK 1: BYU wins on 49-yard Hail Mary

 

WK2: Washington State last-second TD

 

WK 3: Ole Miss 66-yard 'ricochet' TD pass

 

WK 4: TCU wins shootout vs. Texas Tech

 

WK 5: Clemson makes crucial goal-line stand

 

WK 6: Texas WR breaks tackles to grab TD

 

WK 7: Punt fail helps MSU beat Michigan

 

WK 8: 'Kick six' from Georgia Tech

 

WK 9: Miami uses 8 laterals to score TD

 

WK 10: Lateral on 4th and 25 saves Arkansas

 

WK 11: Oklahoma doin' fine with 55-yard TD run

 

WK 12: Miss. State 55-yard one-hand TD grab

 

WK 13: Tex. Tech "fakes a knee," scores TD

 

WK 14: Clemson DB turns TD into INT

 

 

 

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