Five Questions California | Horns Illustrated

By Steve Habel

The point-after kick in college football — a kick taken from the 10-yard line and amounting to a 20-yard field goal — is the most basic of plays.

So when Texas’ Nick Rose lined up to perform the kick that would punctuate a final touchdown run by Jerrod Heard to tie the game against California, coach Charlie Strong didn’t even bother to watch.

“It’s an extra-point and that’s automatic, right?” Strong said. “Then I looked up and saw one of the Cal players yelling and running down the field and I was like, ‘Oh my God.’”

With only 1:11 left to play, Rose saw Cal’s Darius White roar around the end of the line. Rose missed the extra-point kick, kicking the ball wide right and securing Cal’s 45-44 victory before a feverish, and then stunned, crowd of 91,568 fans Sept. 19 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

The missed kick placed an irreversible down note on the

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