Few plays in sports match the chaos of a football hanging in the air as the clock hits zero.
It is a play born out of necessity, a “throw it and pray” moment that almost never works, but creates instant history when it does.
We got a fresh reminder of that magic last week when Harvard stunned Colgate with a walk-off Hail Mary.
Plays like that are why we love college football. When a desperation heave connects, you either get pure bedlam or stunned silence — and a moment that fans will talk about for decades.
To celebrate Harvard’s wild finish, we’re looking back at the all-time greats of the desperation pass.
From legendary deflections to premature celebrations, here are five unforgettable Hail Marys in college football history:
1. The “Hail Flutie” Miracle
Boston College vs. Miami
- Date: Nov. 23, 1984
- Location: Miami Orange Bowl (Miami)
- Final score: Boston College 47, Miami 45
The play: Miami took a 45-41 lead with 28 seconds remaining after a back-and-forth offensive duel. Boston College drove to the Miami 48-yard line with six seconds to go. Quarterback Doug Flutie dropped back, scrambled away from the pass rush and launched a 48-yard heave (traveling over 60 yards in the air) toward the end zone as time expired. Waiting amid a crowd of defenders at the goal line was Gerard Phelan, who secured the ball for the winning touchdown.
The drama: The soggy Orange Bowl crowd was left in shock. The defending national champion Hurricanes stood paralyzed on the field while Phelan clutched the ball on the turf, completing an unforgettable shootout where the teams combined for 1,273 yards of offense. The 5-foot-9 Flutie finished the game with 472 passing yards and three touchdowns. Bernie Kosar threw for 447 yards and two scores for the Hurricanes.
Quote of note: “(A man) yelled out to me, ‘Hey, Phelan.’ I looked up. I had no idea who the guy was. And he said, ‘Hey, Phelan, you cost me a lot of money in Miami.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He said, ‘You know what I mean.’” — Phelan
2. The “Miracle at Michigan”
Colorado vs. Michigan
- Date: Sept. 24, 1994
- Location: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
- Final score: Colorado 27, Michigan 26
The play: Michigan had held a 12-point lead with two and a half minutes left. After a quick touchdown drive, Colorado got the ball back at its 36-yard line with six seconds remaining. Quarterback Kordell Stewart then unleashed a 70-yard rocket into the end zone. Standing at the half-yard line, backup receiver Blake Anderson leaped and tipped the ball over two Michigan defensive backs. The ball floated directly into the hands of a waiting Michael Westbrook.
The drama: Westbrook cradled the ball on the turf as the clock hit zero. A stunned silence fell over the crowd of over 106,000. The stadium scoreboard operator was frozen in disbelief, leaving the score as 26-21 for several moments because no one could process what they had witnessed.
Quote of note: “I can’t imagine being on the other end of that. That had to be a very dramatic experience for (Michigan); it was a dramatic experience for me. … It took years to sink in. Literally. Because I’m holding the ball and not even thinking this happened. I’m like, ‘Is this the Twilight Zone? Is this real?’” — Westbrook
3. The “Miracle Bowl Comeback”
BYU vs. SMU
- Date: Dec. 19, 1980
- Location: Jack Murphy Stadium (San Diego)
- Final score: BYU 46, SMU 45
The play: Led by its legendary “Pony Express” backfield featuring future Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson and Craig James, SMU dominated the game and had a seemingly insurmountable 45-25 lead with less than four minutes remaining. After a furious rally, including a touchdown, a recovered onside kick and a blocked punt, BYU was within 45-39 and at the SMU 41-yard line with three seconds left. Quarterback Jim McMahon dropped back and uncorked a desperate pass into a sea of white and blue jerseys. Tight end Clay Brown miraculously outjumped three SMU defenders to pull down the catch as time expired.
The drama: Amid pandemonium on the field, kicker Kurt Gunther calmly split the uprights to complete a 21-point explosion in the final 2 minutes and 33 seconds. McMahon threw for 446 yards, leading BYU to the program’s first bowl victory.
Quote of note: “I’m going to throw it in the end zone, so somebody better catch it.” — McMahon, on his highly technical final play instruction in the huddle
4. The “Bluegrass Miracle”
LSU vs. Kentucky
- Date: Nov. 9, 2002
- Location: Commonwealth Stadium (Lexington, Kentucky)
- Final score: LSU 33, Kentucky 30
The play: Trailing 30-27 with two seconds left, LSU was seemingly buried at its 26-yard line. Quarterback Marcus Randall took the snap and launched a desperation heave as far as he could into a 17 mph wind. The ball fell significantly short of the end zone, arriving near the 30-yard line where a cluster of Kentucky defenders converged. The ball deflected off a Wildcat player’s hands and ricocheted backward into the path of sprinting LSU wide receiver Devery Henderson, who caught it in stride and and ran into the end zone.
The drama: Because the play developed so far away from the end zone, Kentucky players and fans thought the game was over. Fans were already rushing onto the field, and Kentucky head coach Guy Morriss received a premature Gatorade bath from his players moments before Henderson crossed the goal line to walk it off for Nick Saban’s Tigers.
Quote of note: “We practice that play every week, but it never works. Michael (Clayton) was supposed to be the tip man, but the tip guys turned out to be Kentucky players. How could you figure something like that? All I remember was bobbling the ball and pulling it in, then running like hell.” — Henderson
5. The “Rocket” at Spartan Stadium
Michigan State vs. Wisconsin
- Date: Oct. 22, 2011
- Location: Spartan Stadium (East Lansing, Michigan)
- Final score: Michigan State 37, Wisconsin 31
The play: With four seconds left in a 31-31 tie, Kirk Cousins escaped pressure, rolled to his right and launched a 44-yard prayer into a crowded end zone. The ball caromed off the facemask of Wisconsin safety Aaron Henry. High-pointing the deflection, Spartans receiver Keith Nichol caught it at the 1-yard line and threw his body forward against three defenders.
The drama: Officials ruled Nichol down short of the goal line, prompting Wisconsin to celebrate. However, a tense, agonizing video review clearly showed the ball broke the plane of the goal line before Nichol’s knee hit the turf — overturning the call and walking it off for the Spartans.
Quote of note: “I thought it wasn’t a touchdown at first, but then I ran down and saw the ball at the 1-inch line and realized it may be a TD. … You’re just holding your breath, praying that the eye in the sky is going to show what really happened.” — Cousins, on “The Dan Patrick Show”
READ MORE: Lamar Jackson vs. Deshaun Watson: Relive their instant classic from 10 years ago
READ MORE: Then & Now: Miami football from the Orange Bowl to Hard Rock Stadium
Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.