The game was down to the wire, sitting pretty on the one-yard line. Kevin had tried three times and got nowhere, feeling like he was stuck in quicksand. He looked at the end zone, so close yet so far, and let out a big sigh. Finally, he turned to the coaching staff for some guidance.
After a quick huddle, the coaches decided to roll the dice and go for it on fourth down. Nobody saw that coming. The score was "13:7," and it wasn't even halftime. They could've just kicked a field goal and closed the gap. But if they blew this, they'd lose those easy three points, and the Badgers would take over right there. It was a gutsy call, no doubt.
But the Bruins' coaches put their faith in the offense. And it wasn't Kevin they picked—it was Marcus.
Marcus was on fire tonight and didn't let anyone down. Under crazy pressure, he bulldozed through the defense for a crucial one-yard run and scored a touchdown! The special teams nailed the extra point, and just like that, the Bruins were up "14:13"!
This was the first time the Bruins had the lead all game!
The Rose Bowl went nuts. Bruins fans were losing their minds, cheering so loud it felt like an earthquake. It was like they could already taste the Rose Bowl trophy, with everyone going wild.
But that joy was short-lived. Less than three minutes later, the Badgers snatched the lead back.
In a two-minute and twelve-second drive, the Badgers showed why they were a scoring machine, racking up seventy points in three games this year. Their offense was smooth and relentless, leaving the Bruins' defense in the dust.
In the final moments, Scott threw a killer seven-yard pass for an easy touchdown. After the extra point, the Badgers were back on top, "20:14." The game was heating up big time.
The pace picked up, and it was clear that any slip-up could be game over. The Badgers' regular-season opponents averaged over forty points allowed, which was scary.
Luckily, the Badgers' offense wasn't at its best tonight, and the Bruins' defense managed to hold them off at key moments. But the Bruins' offense was a mess. The opposing defensive end, Justin, racked up three sacks and seven tackles, wrecking their rhythm.
By the end of the second quarter, the score was still "20:14."
By the end of the third quarter, it was still "20:14," with no breakthroughs.
The game was so boring that the home fans were getting restless. When Kevin threw his third interception of the night, the fans finally lost it and started booing their own team. Meanwhile, the visiting fans were cheering, loving the free gifts from the Bruins. If this score held, the Badgers would take home the Rose Bowl trophy!
"Tonight's game is a real shocker. Both teams are underperforming, and it's not exactly a thrill ride," Kirk commented. "The Bruins are running out of time. They're only down by six points, and a touchdown could flip the game. But their offense tonight is a disaster. Heading into the fourth quarter, the pressure's gonna be intense. Scoring a touchdown feels like climbing Everest."
Kirk glanced at the game stats during the Badgers' timeout and broke it down, "They've scored two touchdowns, all thanks to running back Marcus Lynch's heroics. Quarterback Kevin Prince has been a train wreck: twenty-seven pass attempts, only thirteen completions, less than fifty percent success rate, just sixty-seven yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions. With those numbers, it's hard to see the Bruins scoring a touchdown and winning this thing."
Without missing a beat, Kirk analyzed from the Badgers' side, "Scott's not having a great night either, but he's still pushing the team forward. They're taking a timeout to figure out how to break the deadlock and widen the lead. Whether it's a touchdown or a field goal, getting a two-possession lead would pretty much seal the deal."
"The game’s back on, and Rahim Moore just made a huge play! Interception! Rahim snags the ball, and Scott’s thrown his second pick of the night. The ball’s back with the Bruins," Kirk shouted. Tonight’s game was a total circus, but the craziest stuff was still to come.
"Jesus Christ! What just happened out there? Let’s check the replay; it all went down so fast. Kevin tried to throw a pass, but it was like he was aiming for empty space. Not a single Bruins receiver in sight. What the heck happened? Was there a mix-up between Kevin and his guys? To be clear, there wasn’t a Bruins receiver, but there was a Badgers defender, Justin James Watt. The amazing Justin picked it off! An interception for an interception. Kevin’s thrown his fourth pick of the night, and the ball’s back with the Badgers. Man, the fans watching this live must have nerves of steel."
Nate held his head in disbelief, "Oh!" The cry of despair dragged him down. The emotional rollercoaster was making him feel like he was living a nightmare, watching the ball go back to the Badgers with less than six minutes left.
Less than six minutes, what does that mean? Think back to the Bruins' last touchdown drive. It took six minutes to get to the one-yard line, and they went all in on fourth down to score. This means that if the Badgers can keep advancing, they could run out the clock, leaving no time for the Bruins and effectively killing the game on the field.
Despair, anger, anxiety—all kinds of emotions churned in Nate's chest, but he couldn't even curse. He just wailed, "How could this happen! How could this happen!" At this moment, he truly understood what it meant to be on the verge of tears.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Jeff couldn’t keep it together. From the second half of the second quarter to the first half of the fourth, the Bruins had so many chances, but the offense couldn’t cash in on any of them. They even turned the ball over multiple times. How is this different from giving up? It’s a disgrace! An absolute disgrace!
The anger rampaged in his chest. He knew they had the ability to win the game, he knew they had a chance to win the championship, he knew they could make a comeback, but reality shattered his expectations. Watching the Bruins step by step into the abyss made him tremble with frustration.
"Bambi!" A figure flashed in Jeff's mind, like a lifeline! He knew they still had a chance to win, and all their hopes rested on that person. "Bambi!" Jeff couldn't contain his excitement and started shouting. But amidst the angry boos and curses, his voice was like a reed, powerless. He then turned to his friend Nate, shouting madly, "Bambi!"
Nate was stunned for a moment, not reacting at first. But after Jeff shouted a few more times, Nate gradually came to his senses, his eyes lighting up. He joined in, shouting loudly, "Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
Danny heard the shouts from behind. They were calling a strange name, yet it was a prominent one. Over the past month, the nickname "Bambi" had spread widely within UCLA, following a stunning comeback against the Trojans. Everyone knew it.
Danny turned around and looked at the shouting Jeff and Nate. They were a small group, about seven or eight people, but they were united in their call, veins bulging, faces red, expressions fierce. Yet their shouts came together, forming a powerful force!
Danny couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. He couldn't believe himself, but his heart made a decision. He turned around and joined them, shouting loudly, "Bambi!"
A shout came from the right, and Annie turned her head. Bambi, that was Luke's nickname, she knew that. But why were those people calling for Luke? Annie opened her mouth in surprise and turned to look at Jack, but Jack was also confused.
The next second, Jay, sitting next to them, joined the shouting, "Bambi!" He smiled at Jack and Annie, "In the last game, Bambi led the team to a stunning comeback. Honestly, he's our hero and our hope!" With that, Jay stood up, raised his right fist high, and waved it, shouting with all his might, "Bambi!"
Jack and Annie exchanged a look, their eyes filled with astonishment and joy. They looked at each other in disbelief, then at the other fans. The shouts were growing louder, a hundred people, a thousand people, ten thousand people. Gradually, the overwhelming call formed a tremendous force.
"Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"