The field goal attempt was terrible, but they still won on an incredibly lucky play.
Saturday’s Division-III football game between Johns Hopkins and Muhlenberg ended on the weirdest rushing touchdown you’ll ever see.
The Blue Jays and Mules entered the game as the only two undefeated teams left in the Centennial Conference, and it lived up to the billing. Twice Johns Hopkins took a two-touchdown lead and twice Muhlenberg came back to tie it.
In the final minutes, Johns Hopkins marched into Muhlenberg territory and got into position for a game-winning 31-yard field goal attempt. But that’s when things got weird.
Just as Joe Zahner went to kick the ball, the blare of a loud airhorn pierced the air. His kick barely made it off the ground and was driven right into the mess of blockers in front of him. But the ball just happened to land right in the arms of tight end Will Leger, who turned and ran into the end zone for the score. It was a game-winning missed field goal.
Relive the @JHU_Football @Wtleger80 "Miracle at Muhlenberg" w/ 2 angles to tell the whole story of this incredible #d3fb ending. JHU is 8-0 & would win the @CentennialConf w/ a win vs. Dickinson next week. Thanks to Sam Lollar & @72mcjunkin for the overhead footage. @D3FBHuddle pic.twitter.com/bQgJM9gVAp
— Frank Rossi (@FrankRossi) October 29, 2023
Leger’s play (which officially goes down as a 14-yard rushing touchdown) was legal because the kicking team is allowed to advance a missed field goal attempt as long as the kick never crosses the line of scrimmage.
The touchdown allowed Johns Hopkins to improve to 8–0 on the season. The Blue Jays can clinch the conference championship and a spot in the D-III playoffs with a win against Dickinson next week.