For one glorious minute, we were certain Nebraska had authored a sequel to the infamous Butt Punt with this special-teams breakdown against Iowa on Friday:
Nebraska punter Sam Foltz's punt attempt bounced off teammate Zach Hannon's back and was picked up by Iowa's Drew Ott and returned for a 12-yard touchdown.
After all, it sure looks like punter Sam Foltz ricocheted the ball off the backside of one of his linemen, leading to Iowa lineman Drew Ott's scoop 'n' score. ESPN color commentator Matt Millen certainly thought so -- "That's a big ol' keister to kick it into, too, let me tell you," Millen remarked on the replay.
But upon further inspection, analysis and dozens of replays, we're not actually sure Foltz's kick was a true butt punt. The ball is a blur, but given the angle, it may have struck the back of a helmet before traveling backward. It's certainly not as pure as the original, accomplished by Youngstown State during the first week of the season.
Either way, the play was as entertaining as it was crucial. It gave the Hawkeyes a three-score lead in the second half and overshadowed Foltz's other big play, a crushing hit to force a fumble following a punt in the first quarter.