College football is at its most captivating when it's at its most chaotic. The 2007 season is often remembered as the year when entropy reigned, with results so unpredictable that at one point South Florida was ranked as high as No. 2. The 2021 campaign has a ways to go to reach those heights of instability, but the first few weeks have been wild enough that it's possible a similarly erratic season could be in store this year.
If you're looking for a single play to capture the type of anarchic energy described above, look no further than this play from the South Carolina-Troy game.
To begin the fourth quarter, Troy faced a critical third down from inside the Gamecocks' 20-yard line while trailing, 20–14. What happened next was ... well, just run the tape:
It's 2021, and somehow players are still dropping the ball before crossing the goal line.
To recap: Jaylan Foster came through untouched to record the blind side sack and knock the ball loose. Damani Staley briefly gained possession of the ball before fumbling himself, then Jahmar Brown scooped it up and ran untouched toward the end zone. His dropping the ball before reaching the end zone was the most fitting end to one of the most ridiculous plays of the season.
The fumble and touchback gave Troy possession again, but the South Carolina defense stood tall and forced a punt. The next two possessions resulted in fumbles by each team before the Gamecocks put together a field goal drive to build a nine-point lead, eventually winning by a final score of 23–14.
That result will hopefully make the above abomination of a play something everybody can laugh about, but it's safe to say that Brown (and every other South Carolina player) will be schooled on proper ball security near the goal line going forward.
