The entire stadium was in a frenzy, the crowd was going crazy! Their hoarse shouts were completely gone, and everyone was jumping, yelling, and going wild. The thunderous roar swallowed all other noise in the world, leaving only a wave of screams.
Kirk shouted into his microphone, but even at his full volume, his voice couldn't be heard. So, he pointed his microphone at the Rose Bowl, and the earth-shattering roar was broadcasted through the microphone. Guided by the radio waves, it shocked every listener who had their radio tuned in to the game, and then...
The entire state of California went wild!
Lu Ke didn't even have time to celebrate before his teammates tackled him. After he finally got up, Logan crashed into him like a runaway train, and before Lu Ke could find his footing, he was knocked down again.
"Crazy! You're a crazy man! A crazy man!" Logan held Lu Ke's helmet tightly, kissed it heavily, and screamed with a huge smile. "Jesus Christ! We did it, we really did it!"
Before Lu Ke could respond, his other teammates swarmed him, pulling both Logan and Lu Ke up and rushing to the sideline—because the game wasn't over yet. After the touchdown, the score was now 20-20, a tie. But the Bruins still had an extra point to kick. If they made it, the Bruins would win the game. But if they missed... it would go into overtime.
The extra point kick was 25 yards from the end zone and 35 yards from the goalposts. For a kicker, this was an easy distance. In practice, they would make 100 out of 100. But just like a penalty kick, no matter how easy it was, there were times when they would miss. What's more, during an extra point, both teams' special teams were on the field. The defense could break through the offense's line, block the kick, obstruct the kicker's view, or close the kicker's angle—all of these moves were legal.
In other words, the extra point was indeed simple, in some ways simpler than a penalty kick, but it was also incredibly difficult, especially in a crucial moment where anything could happen.
This was also the greatest charm of American football. It wasn't just a contest between the offense and defense, but also the special teams. Every unit had the ability to win or lose the game. This was a true team sport, where any member of any unit could become the hero of the game!
The Bruins' offense left the field, and the special teams came on. They lined up at the Badgers' 25-yard line, getting ready for the extra point kick.
At this moment, there were still eighteen seconds left in the game. The outcome was no longer in the Badgers' hands. All they could do was try their best to block the extra point to have a chance in overtime. The Bruins, who had the advantage, just needed to be careful and make the kick!
One second ago, the entire Rose Bowl was like a volcano erupting. A second later, the stadium was dead silent. You couldn't even hear a breath, as if no one was there. All eyes were on the special teams players on the field.
Whistle, snap, kick, shoot, score.
There were no surprises and no mistakes. The Bruins' special teams were highly focused and successfully kicked the extra point, taking the lead for the second time in the game with a score of 21-20. At this point, there were still eighteen seconds left.
This meant the Badgers had eighteen seconds to make a comeback, and the Bruins had eighteen seconds to hold on to their lead. The game was still not over. So, both special teams came back onto the field. The Bruins kicked off, and the Badgers returned the kick. The Bruins' special teams kicked the football high and far, which used up a full three seconds. The Badgers cleverly chose not to return the kick because it would take too much time. After catching the ball, they immediately took a knee, which meant they would start their drive from their own 15-yard line.
The clock was counting down, fifteen seconds left.
The Badgers' offense had no choice. With fifteen seconds and two timeouts, they had very few options. They immediately lined up in a formation for a Hail Mary. For the Bruins' defense, this was the easiest thing. They only sent two people to rush the offensive line and placed everyone else in the middle and backfield, covering every inch of the field.
The problem was that Scott was not a quarterback with a super strong arm. He lingered in the pocket for a long time, hesitating. When he finally threw the ball, his intention was read instantly. The receivers swarmed over, and the defenders swarmed over too. In the chaos, the pass went out of bounds.
Seven seconds were used up. For a deep pass, this was unbelievable. The only good thing was that when the pass went out of bounds, the clock automatically stopped, preserving the remaining eight seconds of the game, which meant there was still a ray of hope.
On the next play, Scott tried to pass again, but his hesitation was too long. A Bruins player blitzed him and sacked him, almost causing a fumble. The entire process only took three seconds. There were five seconds left in the game.
On the third down, Scott personally ran out of the pocket with the football, then tried to throw a long pass, but all his deep targets were tightly covered. With no other choice, he gritted his teeth and threw the ball toward the end zone. Unfortunately, the football barely crossed the midfield line before it fell weakly to the ground.
Game over!
Lu Ke stood on the sideline, his eyes fixed on every move on the field. As a member of the offense, they had completed their mission. The task of winning the game now fell to the defense. This was part of football, but being in it, Lu Ke felt a tension in his chest like his heart was about to contract. It was even more tense than when he was on the field.
It wasn't until the final whistle blew that his tense heart suddenly burst open. Lu Ke raised his hands high, both clenched into fists, like a victorious god of war! Victory, they had won! The Bruins had won! After twenty-five years, the Rose Bowl trophy was back in UCLA's hands!
Thump, thump, thump! The force of his heart pounding against his chest was so strong, so violent, so heavy. His chest felt like it was about to explode, and there was a dull ache. But it was so real, so real that he wanted to roar, to release all the adrenaline coursing through his veins!
He did it! From a practice player to a backup, from the sidelines to the field, one step at a time, he had carved out a path for himself and grabbed this victory with his own hands. He had finally done it!
"Ah!" Lu Ke finally couldn't hold it in any longer and let it all out. The emotions that had been suppressed in his chest for so long were finally released without any resistance. This was his moment, and this was his beginning. The Rose Bowl, at this moment, was his stage!
"Bambi!" In the midst of the chaotic screams and roars, someone shouted, and before Lu Ke could turn around, a group of people rushed toward him and lifted him up high. This startled Lu Ke a little. The feeling of weightlessness made his hands shake, and he tried to grab something for support. But in the next second, more and more people came. Four people lifted him, and then more and more hands reached out, lifting him higher and higher.
Looking down, Lu Ke could see the familiar faces of his teammates, the teammates he had fought alongside. Although their time on the field together was very limited, just one quarter and two minutes, they had tasted victory together twice!
This victory belonged to him, and it also belonged to them.
Looking up, Lu Ke felt like he was a little closer to that brilliant sky. He could almost touch it with his hand. This was his first championship!
Jeff Lock was jumping and shouting like a madman. He didn't care about the spit flying out of his mouth. After being suppressed for so many years, so much dullness for so many years, today, they finally brought the Rose Bowl trophy home again! Then Jeff saw his heroes, all gathered together, hoisting Lu Ke onto their shoulders. Jeff could no longer hold back his excitement and joy. "Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
This time, he didn't need to use much effort. First Nate, then Danny, everyone joined Jeff, raising their right hands and cheering. After cheering for the whole game, everyone's voice was hoarse, but no one cared at this moment. They just screamed hoarsely, "Bambi!"
Their eyes were filled with passion. That was their hero! The shouts came in waves. Just when people thought the volume had reached its peak, the next shout broke people's imagination and exploded again. The fervent calls, the excited roars, and the boiling shouts came together, creating a powerful chemical reaction. The air was almost on fire, and the entire night sky above the Rose Bowl began to burn brightly, as if it were daylight.
"Listeners, listeners..." Kirk had to challenge the limits of his voice, screaming almost at a dolphin pitch. "The UCLA Bruins, after twenty-five years, have once again won the Rose Bowl! When the game was in a desperate situation, in the last two minutes of the game, the backup quarterback Lu Ke led the offense in a fluid, relentless attack. Ninety-nine seconds, six plays, eighty yards gained, a fatal blow, and they came back and won the game! What's even more incredible is that this is the first time in Rose Bowl history that a Chinese-American player has played, and a Chinese-American quarterback at that. No matter what, this game will go down in history! We are undoubtedly lucky to have witnessed history in the making! This is a sleepless night! This is a sleepless night of celebration for the Bruins!"
Kirk's shout was broadcasted through the radio, and the entire state of California became a sea of celebration. The noise and frenzy in the Los Angeles area were even more intense than on the Fourth of July!
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