The whole stadium just blew up, man! The crowd was losing their minds! Everyone was screaming their lungs out, jumping around like maniacs. The noise was so loud it drowned out everything else, just a wave of pure chaos.
Kirk tried yelling into the mic, but no way anyone could hear him. So, he just pointed the mic at the Rose Bowl, and the insane cheers blasted through, shaking everyone listening. California was going nuts!
Luke didn't even get a second to celebrate before his teammates tackled him. He barely got up when Logan, like a freight train, slammed into him again, knocking him down.
"You're crazy, man! Totally nuts!" Logan hugged Luke's helmet, planted a big kiss on it, and kept yelling with a huge grin, "Holy crap! We did it, we actually did it!"
Before Luke could say anything, more teammates rushed over, pulling them up and heading to the sidelines. The game wasn't over yet. The score was tied at 20-20 after the touchdown, but the Bruins still had an extra point to kick. Make it, they win; miss it, and it's overtime.
The extra point was from twenty-five yards out, thirty-five to the goalposts. Easy peasy for a kicker, they nail this in practice all the time. But like a penalty kick, even the easiest shots can go wrong. Plus, during an extra point, both special teams are out there, with the defense trying to mess things up—totally legal.
So yeah, the extra point is simple, but also super tricky, especially when the pressure's on.
That's the magic of football, man. It's not just offense and defense; special teams can change the game too. Every player can be the hero!
The Bruins' offense left the field, and the special teams lined up at the Badgers' twenty-five-yard line, ready for the extra point.
Eighteen seconds left in the game. The Badgers could only hope to block the kick and push for overtime. The Bruins had to nail this kick to win.
One second, the Rose Bowl was a madhouse; the next, it was dead silent. Everyone was holding their breath, eyes glued to the field.
Whistle, snap, kick, goal.
No drama, no screw-ups. The Bruins' special teams were on point, making the extra point and taking the lead, 21-20. Eighteen seconds left.
The Badgers had eighteen seconds to flip the game, and the Bruins had eighteen seconds to hang on. Game's not over yet. Both special teams hit the field again, the Bruins kicked off, the Badgers received, and the Bruins' kick was high, long, and ate up three seconds. The Badgers smartly kneeled to start from their fifteen-yard line.
Fifteen seconds left.
The Badgers had no choice. With fifteen seconds and two timeouts, they had to go deep. The Bruins' defense knew it, leaving only two guys to rush and everyone else covering the field.
Problem was, Scott didn't have a cannon for an arm. He hesitated in the pocket, and when he finally threw, it was obvious. Receivers and defenders swarmed, and the pass went out of bounds.
Seven seconds gone, way too long for a deep pass. The only silver lining was the clock stopped, leaving eight seconds and a sliver of hope.
Second down, Scott tried to pass again, but hesitated and got sacked by a lightning-fast Bruins player, almost fumbling. Three seconds gone, five left.
On third down, Scott bolted out of the pocket, charging ahead. He tried to set up for a long bomb, but all his deep targets were locked down. With no other choice, he chucked it towards the end zone, but the ball barely made it past midfield before flopping to the ground.
Game over!
Luke stood on the sidelines, eyes glued to every move on the field. The offense had done their job, and now it was up to the defense to seal the deal. This was football, but in the moment, Luke's heart was pounding harder than ever, even more than when he was out there playing.
When the final whistle blew, his heart exploded with joy. Luke threw his hands up, fists clenched like a warrior! They did it, the Bruins did it! After twenty-five long years, the Rose Bowl championship was back with UCLA!
His heart was pounding so hard it felt like his chest might burst. It was a dull, aching pain, but it was so real, so intense, it made him want to scream, to let all that adrenaline out!
He did it! From practice squad to backup, from the sidelines to the field, he had carved his own path, seized victory with his own hands. He finally did it!
Luke couldn't hold back anymore, letting out all the emotions that had been bottled up. This was his moment, and it was just the beginning. The Rose Bowl was his stage!
"Bambi!" Amidst the chaos, someone shouted. Before Luke could turn, a group of people rushed over and lifted him high. Luke was a bit flustered, flailing his arms to find something to hold onto. But in the next second, more and more people surrounded him, lifting him higher and higher.
Looking down, Luke saw the familiar faces of his teammates, the ones who fought alongside him. Even though they only played together for one quarter and two minutes, they had tasted victory twice in those moments!
This victory was his, and it was theirs.
Looking up, Luke felt closer to the sky, almost able to touch it. This was his first championship!
Jeff was jumping and shouting like a madman, not caring about the spit flying from his mouth. After so many years of frustration, they finally brought the Rose Bowl back home! Then Jeff saw his heroes, gathered together, lifting Luke onto their shoulders. Jeff couldn't hold back his excitement, "Bambi! Bambi! Bambi!"
This time, it didn't take much effort. First Nate, then Danny, everyone joined Jeff, raising their right hands and cheering. After all the cheering throughout the game, everyone's voices were hoarse, but no one cared. They just screamed at the top of their lungs, "Bambi!"
Those eyes were filled with fire; that was their hero! The cheers grew louder and louder, just when people thought it couldn't get any louder, the next shout broke their expectations again, exploding once more. The fervent calls, the excited shouts, the frenzied roars, all converged, creating a powerful reaction. The air seemed to ignite, and the night sky above the Rose Bowl began to burn brightly, like daylight.
"Listeners, listeners..." Kirk had to push his voice to the limit, almost screaming, "UCLA Bruins have won the Rose Bowl again after twenty-five years! In the last two minutes of the game, when all seemed lost, backup quarterback Luke led the offense in a relentless attack, covering eighty yards in six plays over ninety-nine seconds, delivering the fatal blow and turning the game around! Even more incredible, this is the first appearance of an Avalis American player in Rose Bowl history, and it's an Avalis American quarterback! No matter what, this game will go down in history! We are undoubtedly lucky to witness the birth of history! This is a sleepless night! This is a sleepless night of celebration for the Bruins!"
Kirk's shout was broadcasted through the radio, turning the entire state of California into a sea of celebration. The noise and frenzy in the Los Angeles area were even hotter than the Fourth of July!