College football teams playing in bowl games often dive deep into their playbooks.
To wit, Northern Illinois treated college football fans to one of the best plays of the 2023 bowl season by successfully executing a fake field goal for a touchdown in the Camellia Bowl against Arkansas State on Saturday.
Faced with fourth-and-four from the Red Wolves’ 32-yard line, Huskies coach Thomas Hammock opted for some trickery instead of attempting a 49-yard field goal with his club leading 13–7 midway through the second quarter.
Northern Illinois holder Tom Foley made a flip pass to kicker Kanon Woodill, who sprinted untouched into the end zone to extend the Huskies’ lead.
#MACtion pic.twitter.com/xLFX16Dy1J
— #MACtion (@MACSports) December 23, 2023
The Huskies went on to win, 21–19, so the touchdown proved to be pivotal. Northern Illinois improved to 7–6 with the win, ending the 2023 campaign on a three-game winning streak. The Red Wolves dropped to 6–7 under coach Butch Jones.
Fans and pundits were impressed by Woodill’s speed and the boldness of the call by Hammock, and they set social media abuzz with their reactions.
I would like to send a drink to the director of the Camellia Bowl for cutting straight to Butch Jones immediately after NIU's kicker ran for a score
— Holly Anderson 🍇 (@HollyAnderson) December 23, 2023
Watching @NIU_Football kicker Kanon Woodill score on a 32-yard pass off a fake FG and the ensuing celebration is enough to justify watching @CamelliaBowl. Thank you, @NIUCoachHammock for the entertainment. Great call, play.
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) December 23, 2023
Kanon Woodill is the most explosive kicker in college football history@NIU_Football | #theHardWaypic.twitter.com/ffAyZl04RZ
— Collin Wilson (@_Collin1) December 23, 2023
THE FIRST KANON WOODILL TOUCHDOWN ON THE FAKE FIELD GOAL!!! pic.twitter.com/xsW8oOIQAW
— Huskies On Tap (@HuskiesOnTap) December 23, 2023
Kicker Kanon Woodill runs in the fake field goal for a touchdown! The wheels on this young man 💨#KickersAreAthletesToo @KanonWoodill
— The Transfer Portal CFB (@TPortalCFB) December 23, 2023
pic.twitter.com/TutX391w5V
KANON WOODILL TURNS ON THE JETS
— Brendan Moore (@bmoorecfb) December 23, 2023
Northern Illinois’ kicker takes it 33 yards to the house on a fake field goal
pic.twitter.com/VbhvOgjgJk
Northern Illinois kicker Kanon Woodill with the best touchdown of bowl season so far.
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) December 23, 2023
The Camellia Bowl has been so zany, perfect example of why bowl games are the best. pic.twitter.com/73jj2oSzUH
I mean, he’s outrunning defenders and leaving them in the dust
— Steve Helwick (@s_helwick) December 23, 2023
Kanon Woodill might have the fastest 40 time of any kicker in college football https://t.co/QeQ7xOPUJA
Does this NIU kicker run a 4.3 40?? https://t.co/igQgZHZmkd
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) December 23, 2023
NIU’s kicker was schmoooooovin’
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) December 23, 2023
NIU’s kicker just housed a fake FG before the Huskies successfully ran the Philly Special for the two-point conversion.
— Dean Straka (@DWStraka49) December 23, 2023
And some people think there are too many bowl games… pic.twitter.com/XeW953klc8
