Thanks to faithful Tiger football fans, LSU’s Nov. 9 last-second win over Kentucky earned the Best Play ESPY at last night’s televised, 11th annual awards ceremony in Hollywood.
Devery Henderson, wide receiver in the ESPY-winning “Bluegrass Miracle” play, attended the ceremony and accepted the award with his mother.
As Henderson accepted the award, he said he wished his team could be there with him.
LSU trailed Kentucky in the last two seconds of the game when Marcus Randall threw a Hail Mary pass in Henderson’s direction. As the game ended, Henderson caught the pass and ran it in for a final-second touchdown.
LSU won the game 33-30. Kentucky fans had prematurely rushed the field in celebration of what they thought was a sure victory.
According to the ESPY homepage at espn.com, this was the first year on-line voters got to choose the winner for the Best Play category.
LSU’s opposition for the award included a behind the back dunk by the L.A. Lakers’ Kobe Bryant, a sudden-death touchdown by Atlanta Falcoln Michael Vick against the Minnesota Vikings, a between the legs dunk by high school senior LeBron James and a 485-foot homerun by San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds during the World Series against the Anaheim Angels.
Henderson became the second Tiger to win an ESPY. Warren Morris was the first for his Showstopper of the Year award in 1997.
Morris was awarded for his ninth-inning, game-winning homer in the final game of the 1996 College World Series against Miami (Fla).