Hail Mary touchdown pass nominated for 'Best Play' ESPY
Senior wide receiver Titus Davis scored on an improbable Hail Mary touchdown pass that punctuated a fourth quarter comeback by the CMU football team in the Bahamas Bowl. The Chippewas missed a two-point conversion and lost to Western Kentucky 49-48. (Photo Courtesy CMU Athletics)
Though they lost during the inaugural Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, Central Michigan University has been nominated for a 2015 ESPY Award in the "Best Play" category.
In December 2014 in Nassau, CMU made a last-second 75-yard, Hail Mary touchdown pass, almost allowing them to make a comeback against Western Kentucky University. The team called this play the "Hurricane."
Down seven points with one second left, the team was on its own 25-yard line. A pass from quarterback Cooper Rush was caught by Jesse Kroll.
He tossed the ball to Deon Butler, who passed it backward to Courtney Williams, who lateralled it to Titus Davis. Davis outran the Hilltopper defense and dove to the pylon in the end zone for an improbable score.
On a two-point conversion attempt, Rush threw a fade pass in the right corner of the end zone, but Kroll couldn't catch the pass. Western Kentucky defeated CMU 49-48.
The play was also named ESPN's No.1 play of the college football season in January. It was No. 2 of the year in 2014, behind the New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s one-handed catch. The play was also voted the Michigan Sports play of the year by the Detroit Free Press.
Voting is open for the first round of ESPY-nominated plays. The first round of voting will continue until July 1 with 16 different plays nominated.
Alumnus and former CMU wide receiver Antonio Brown is one of five nominated for best NFL player. Brown completed 129 passes for 1,698 yards and scored 13 touchdowns last season.
An ESPY Award is presented by ESPN to recognize individuals or teams in achievements and other sports-related performances during the previous calendar year. The awards will be presented on ESPN at 8 p.m. July 15.
