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Western Kentucky's Awesome Trick Play Undone by Interception on Very Next Play

This was a great trick play. The one after it? Not so much.

The Boca Raton Bowl sounds like some Hipster Borscht dish, but it's got way more beet beat juice than that.

The matchup between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the Memphis Tigers was one of those where's-the-defense shootouts minted in off-brand bowl games, but one killer gimmick play stood out above all others. With 45 seconds left in the half, Western Kentucky had the ball and a 28-17 lead. They lined up for the kneel down and GOTCHA!

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The beauty here is that they doubled down on the sneakiness. Quarterback Mike White pretends to kneel, gives an inside reverse handoff to Anthony Wales, then takes off to the right while his running back waits a second before darting down the left sideline for 53 yards. Just magnificent.

Here's another angle in which the cameraperson was completely faked out of their back brace:

Western Kentucky deserved the touchdown for the sheer illusion of it all. But that's the thing about magic tricks, once revealed they lose their power.

Wales was driven out at the 30. White threw an end zone interception on the next play.

Still, the Hilltoppers will always have the kneel-down-that-wasn't, and the glory of a 51-31 Boca Raton Bowl victory. Mazel Tovs all around.

[ESPN]