Missouri Tigers: Worst sports moments for Mizzou fans
WORST MOMENTS FOR MU FANS – NUMBER 1: FIFTH DOWN
OCTOBER 6, 1990 VS COLORADO
Last, but certainly not least in our “Most Mizzou Moments Ever” list is a play that will live in infamy. Seriously, how did this moment occur? How did this get by the officials?
The play is so well-known that it has its own name, properly titled, the “fifth down” and it took place against Colorado in what is known as the “Fifth Down Game”. As we have with all of the other entries, let’s set the stage here.
The year was 1990 and the Missouri Tigers were playing in their fifth game of the season. At the time, they were 2-2 and the Buffaloes were 3-1-1 and ranked in the top 25. The lead in the game went back and forth throughout and as usual, it came down to the wire in Columbia.
The Buffs were driving and eventually got the ball within the red zone. Now the rules of football are that you have four downs to get either the next first down or to find the end zone. This game did not follow those rules.
On the first attempt, the ball was spiked to stop the clock and the Buffs were stopped on second down. After that play, the officials failed to flip the marker to third down and therefore, it was still recorded as second down on the sidelines, causing confusion.
This game really is the epitome of what being an MU fan is all about.
Colorado called their final timeout and was stopped again on the actual third down play (recorded as second down), which would have made it fourth down and their last attempt to get into the end zone. Unfortunately, the officials had still failed to see their mistake, so after the stopped play, the Buffs spiked the ball, thinking it was only third down.
The game should have been over at that moment. The spiked ball was Colorado’s fourth play and should have meant the ball was turned over on downs and Missouri could have kneeled the ball down to win. Obviously that didn’t happen or we wouldn’t be here talking about this, now would we?
Well, on the infamous “Fifth Down” play, Colorado scored a touchdown. The refs would confer for a long time and still somehow let the play slide and the Buffaloes would go on to win in Columbia. To this day, this play is one of the biggest blunders in not only college football, but in all of sports.
How could an officiating crew let a team have the ball for five downs? How was it not noticed that the marker had not been flipped and why was Colorado allowed to keep the win? The Buffs would go on to win a share of the National Championship and Missouri would end the 1990 season with a 4-7 record.
This game really is the epitome of what being an MU fan is all about and it really will continue to be the biggest example of their pain and suffering throughout the years.