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Vince Young's scramble to the end zone vs. USC named ESPN's No. 3 play in college football since 2000

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook06/10/25josephcook89
Texas quarterback Vince Young
(Scott Clarke/WireImage)

“He’s going for the corner… he’s got it! Vince Young scores.” Keith Jackson’s legendary call of Young’s eight-yard scramble for the go-ahead touchdown against the USC Trojans in the 2006 Rose Bowl will echo down in not only Texas Longhorns history, but college football history. And the significance of that play was not lost on the bigwigs in Bristol, Conn. ESPN named Young’s run for the roses as the No. 3 play in college football in the first quarter-century of the 2000s.

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Young’s run was behind No. 1 Kick Six, which saw Auburn’s Chris Davis return Adam Griffith‘s missed field goal 109 yards for the game-winning score in the 2013 Iron Bowl, and Boise State’s “Circus” and “Statue of Liberty” versus Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

College football writer Jake Trotter had this to say about the play.

Vince Young didn’t win the 2005 Heisman Trophy. In fact, USC running back Reggie Bush received 705 more first-place votes. But the Texas quarterback still produced arguably the best individual season this century, culminating with one of college football’s most memorable all-time plays.

Trailing in the Rose Bowl with a national championship on the line, the Longhorns faced fourth-and-5 in the waning seconds against the Trojans, the defending national champs. But Young scrambled right, then dashed past the pylon for the game-winning touchdown, lifting the unbeaten Longhorns to their first national title in 35 years.

A couple of other not-so-glorious plays featuring the Texas Longhorns made the list as well. Michael Crabtree‘s game-winning catch for the Texas Tech Red Raiders against Texas in 2008 was the No. 6 play of the 2000s, while Roy Williams‘ leaping hit on Chris Simms that jarred the ball loose and into Teddy Lehman‘s hands for the game-clinching touchdown of the 2001 Red River Shootout was the No. 9 play of the century so far.

Texas was very loosely involved with one other play. When former Longhorn Isaiah Bond was still wearing crimson, he brought in the game-winning touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe in a play known as “Gravedigger” in the 2023 Iron Bowl. Bond’s reception converted a 4th-and-31 and helped the Crimson Tide reach the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff in Nick Saban‘s final season as head coach of Alabama.

There was one other play from the 2005 season on the list. USC’s march to the Rose Bowl almost was upended in South Bend, Ind. when the Trojans battled the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Bush pushed Matt Leinart into the end zone, a play against the rules at the time, for the game-winning score in the 2005 Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh.

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ESPN’s top plays of the 2000s… so far

  1. Kick Six – Auburn 34 Alabama 28 – 2013
  2. Circus/Statue of Liberty – Boise State 43 Oklahoma 42 – 2007
  3. In-Vince-ible – Texas 41 USC 38 – 2006
  4. 2nd and 26 – Alabama 26 Georgia 23 – 2018
  5. “The Mountaineers have just beaten the Michigan Wolverines” – App State 34 Michigan 32 – 2007
  6. Crabtree Breaks Free – Texas Tech 39 Texas 33 – 2008
  7. Prayer at Jordan-Hare – Auburn 43 Georgia 38 – 2013
  8. Trouble with the Snap – Michigan State 27 Michigan 23 – 2015
  9. Superman – Oklahoma 14 Texas 3 – 2001
  10. Pass Interference – Ohio State 31 Miami (Fla.) 24 – 2003
  11. Clowney in the Backfield – South Carolina 33 Michigan 28 -2013
  12. Manziel to Swope – Texas A&M 29 Alabama 24 – 2012
  13. Watson to Renfrow – Clemson 35 Alabama 31 – 2017
  14. Bush Push – USC 34 Notre Dame 31 – 2005
  15. Reggie in the Fog – USC 28 Oregon State 20 – 2004
  16. Tebow’s Jump Pass – Florida 23 LSU 10 – 2006
  17. Bluegrass Miracle – LSU 33 Kentucky 30 – 2002
  18. Eight Laterals – Miami (Fla.) 30 Duke 27 – 2015
  19. Reed Takes It Away – Miami (Fla.) 18 Boston College 7 – 2001
  20. Gravedigger – Alabama 27 Auburn 24 – 2023
  21. Crouch’s Touchdown Catch – Nebraska 20 Oklahoma 10 – 2001
  22. 11 Laterals – Trinity 28 Millsaps 24 – 2007
  23. Henry’s Hurl – Arkansas 53 Ole Miss 52 – 2015
  24. Newton’s Heisman Moment – Auburn 24 LSU 17 – 2010
  25. Jackson Leaps to the Heisman – Louisville 62 Syracuse 28 – 2016

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