Holy Buckeye

Holy Buckeye is the nickname given to one of the most famous plays in the history of Ohio State football.

It occurred in a late-regular season game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, on November 9, 2002.

[1] The play was a critical point for the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, as an incomplete pass (or a failed first-down conversion) would have likely resulted in a loss to Purdue, which in turn, would have almost certainly removed Ohio State from national championship contention.

and came from Brent Musburger, the ABC television play-by-play announcer, who exclaimed the phrase as the completion was made.

Musburger had uttered the phrase "Holy Toledo" 2 years earlier on October 28, 2000 in a game between Purdue and Ohio State when Drew Brees threw a long game winning pass to Seth Morales to beat Ohio State leading to a Big Ten championship.

Rather than have the kicker Mike Nugent attempt a long field goal to tie, or call a running play for tailback Lydell Ross to gain the necessary yardage to avoid a turnover on downs (star running back Maurice Clarett was injured and could not play), Jim Tressel called the "King Right 64 Y Shallow Swap" - a pass.

With the game clock still running from the previous play, the ball was snapped with just 1:44 left, and after dropping back, quarterback Craig Krenzel stepped up into the pocket and threw a 37-yard pass down the left sideline, which was caught by Michael Jenkins in the endzone to score the winning touchdown.

But he had one last thing he had to look at, and as you guys all know, that the number one attribute of a good quarterback is that they make great decisions.