The Unbelievable Bounce: Inside Arizona State's Most Controversial Field Goal And The NCAA Rulebook Debate

The "Arizona State field goal bounce" is not just a footnote in Sun Devils football history; it is a legendary moment of improbable physics and enduring controversy that continues to spark debate among fans and rules experts even today, December 15, 2025. This singular, spectacular play transcends the final score of the game it occurred in, becoming a case study in the bizarre realities of college football officiating and the ambiguity of the NCAA rulebook.

The play in question—a blocked kick that hit the turf and somehow still sailed through the uprights—is one of the most visually stunning and confounding moments ever captured on a football field. It represents a perfect storm of bad luck, amazing trajectory, and a ruling that many believe was simply wrong, denying the Sun Devils crucial points in a major bowl game.

The Anatomy of an Improbable Play: ASU vs. Texas (2007 Holiday Bowl)

The infamous bounce occurred during the 2007 Holiday Bowl, played on December 27, 2007, in San Diego, California. The game pitted the Arizona State Sun Devils, led by Head Coach Dennis Erickson, against the Texas Longhorns. While the final score saw Texas win 52-34, the game's most memorable moment happened in the waning seconds of the first half.

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The Sun Devils, looking to cut into the Longhorns' lead before halftime, lined up for a 36-yard field goal attempt. The kicker was none other than Thomas Weber, who had an outstanding season and was the recipient of the prestigious Lou Groza Award that year, recognizing him as the nation's best kicker. Weber was a model of consistency, making his subsequent involvement in this freak play all the more shocking.

The Moment of Impact and the Unbelievable Trajectory

As the ball was snapped, Texas defensive lineman Carston Kieffer burst through the line and managed to get a hand on the kick. The contact was enough to change the ball's direction dramatically, sending it spiraling downward. The ball then struck the turf just a few yards past the line of scrimmage.

What happened next defies belief and the laws of probability. Instead of simply dying on the ground or bouncing erratically out of bounds, the blocked, turf-hit football took a perfect, high-arcing bounce. It soared over the outstretched hands of the players, passed cleanly over the crossbar, and sailed directly through the uprights.

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The reaction was immediate: the crowd was stunned, the players were confused, and the officials were left with a decision on a play they had likely never encountered.

The Official Ruling and the NCAA Rulebook Controversy

Despite the ball clearly passing through the goal posts, the officials on the field immediately ruled the play no good. This decision was highly controversial and became the center of a years-long debate over the interpretation of the NCAA Rulebook regarding scrimmage kicks.

The core of the controversy rests on two key rules:

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• The Definition of a Field Goal: NCAA Rule 8, Section 4, Article 1 states that a field goal is scored when a legal scrimmage kick passes over the crossbar and between the uprights.
• The Status of a Blocked Kick: NCAA rules clarify that a blocked kick is still considered a "kick" until it is recovered by a player or goes out of bounds.

Rules experts and analysts who reviewed the footage argued that since the ball, even after being blocked and hitting the ground, was still technically a "kick" and it successfully passed through the scoring plane (above the crossbar and inside the uprights), the field goal should have been awarded three points. The official ruling of "no good" essentially treated the ball as a dead ball upon hitting the ground, which contradicts the rule that a kick remains live.

The missed three points were significant, especially in a tight bowl game environment. The Sun Devils went into the locker room without the points, and while the game eventually became a high-scoring affair that Texas controlled, the missed opportunity remains a "what-if" moment for the Sun Devil Nation.

The Lasting Legacy and Topical Authority

The "Arizona State field goal bounce" has cemented its place as one of college football's most bizarre and memorable plays, used frequently in highlight reels and discussions about officiating errors. Its legacy extends far beyond the Pac-10 (now Pac-12) conference and the 2007 season.

The play serves as a perfect example of the need for absolute clarity in sports rules. While the NCAA has not specifically changed a rule *because* of this play, the incident is often cited when discussing the obscure scenarios that the rulebook must cover. It highlights the principle that a ball that has been kicked remains a kick until possession is gained, regardless of how many times it hits the turf.

The game itself was a showcase for several key players and coaches, adding to the play's topical authority:

• Thomas Weber: The Lou Groza Award winner, whose incredible season was capped by this unfortunate, yet famous, non-score.
• Dennis Erickson: The ASU Head Coach, who led the team to a successful 10-3 record that year.
• Carston Kieffer: The Texas Longhorns player who made the initial, game-changing block.
• The 2007 ASU Team: A team that included future NFL talent and achieved a co-Pac-10 championship.
• The Officiating Crew: The unnamed crew whose instantaneous decision has been scrutinized for over a decade.

In the modern era of instant replay and hyper-analysis, the sheer visual evidence of the ball going through the uprights makes the "no good" ruling difficult to accept for many fans. The play is an enduring reminder of how a single, improbable bounce can alter the narrative of a major college football contest and challenge the very interpretation of the game's fundamental laws.

In the end, the ASU field goal bounce remains a cult classic moment—a perfect blend of athletic absurdity and officiating controversy that will be replayed and debated for generations to come, symbolizing the unpredictable nature of the sport.