Bad Math, Good Play

Oklahoma State University's 1996 season quarterback, President Lyndon Johnson's nephew, Randy Johnson, proved to be a mediocre quarterback for a mediocre team. But mediocre or not, quarterbacks and teams and Oklahoma State could be lifted to legendary greatness if they beat their arch rival, the University of Oklahoma, in the season-ending game.

In that final game of 1996 Oklahoma was behind by six points. Little hope remained that they would score with almost 80 yards between them and their goal line, with only minutes left on the clock, and in a steady downpour of rain. But their mud-covered suits didn’t look half as pitiful as the battered, despairing faces of the State players.

As a gesture of goodwill, the Oklahoma State coach put in all the seniors for the last play of the game, and told Randy to call whatever play he wanted. The team huddled, and to the surprise of his teammates, Randy called play 13—a trick play they'd never used, for the good reason that it had never worked in practice.

Well, the impossible happened! Play 13 worked! Oklahoma State scored! Randy Johnson’s team won the game by one point! The fans went wild! As they carried Randy, the hero of the game, off the field, his coach called out to him, “Why in the world did you ever call play 13?”

“Well, we were in the huddle,” Randy answered, “and I looked over and saw old Harry with tears running down his cheeks. It was his last college game and we were losing. And I saw that big 8 on his chest. Then I look over and saw Ralph. And tears were running down his cheeks, too. And I saw that big 7 on his jersey. So in honor of those two heartbroken seniors, I added eight and seven together and called play 13!”

“But Randy,” the coach shouted back. “Eight and seven don’t add up to 13!”

Randy reflected for a moment and answered back, “You’re right, coach! And if I’d been as smart as you are, we would have lost the game!”