Latest
SportsVideo reports & articles
Newstro / Sports
Sports

Boston College Fools Defense With Bizarre ‘Ring-Around-The-Rosie’ Touchdown Homage to ‘The Longest Yard’

The Eagles executed a spinning circular huddle before flipping an underhand shovel pass into the end zone, sparking instant viral comparisons to Burt Reynolds' 1974 classic.

Article
Read the story
Sports · Read the story
Newstro Sports desk headline visual.
Newstro · Sports desk
Share this story

A playground huddle in prime time

November 7, 2026 · 8:15 p.m. Eastern

College football fans were treated to one of the most delightful trick-play formations of the 2026 season on Saturday night, when Boston College pulled off a spinning circular huddle straight out of cinematic lore before punching in a go-ahead touchdown against Florida State.

Trailing 21–17 with 3:15 left in the third quarter and facing a critical second-and-goal at the Seminoles’ 2-yard line, the entire Boston College offense gathered in a tight circle near the five-yard line. Instead of a conventional offensive breakdown, the players locked arms and spun clockwise in rapid synchrony—instantly evoking the childhood playground rhyme "Ring-Around-The-Rosie" and the famous "Mean Machine" huddle from Burt Reynolds’ 1974 classic The Longest Yard.

On a sudden whistle, the Eagles broke cleanly into an unbalanced shotgun set, caught the Florida State defense completely flat-footed, and converted the sequence into six points.

How the 'Mean Machine' routine worked

As the circular spin masked the formation personnel and alignment, quarterback Mason McKenzie sprinted to the line, received the snap, and took two steps forward before slipping a slick underhand shovel pass to wide receiver Javarius Green cutting across the formation.

Green grabbed the soft toss in stride and slashed untouched past two frozen Florida State linebackers into the right corner of the end zone, capping an extraordinary drive and handing Boston College a 24–21 lead.

The play stunned ACC Network broadcasters, who burst into laughter on air as replays highlighted the synchronized spinning huddle. Within minutes, sideline and broadcast clips went viral across social media, racking up millions of views and earning praise from former coaches and players for creative play design under head coach Bill O'Brien.

A flash of genius in a heartbreak loss

Despite the viral brilliance of the trick touchdown, Boston College was unable to hold the lead into the fourth quarter.

Florida State, energized by interim head coach Rick Stockstill following a mid-season staff shakeup, mounted a determined 75-yard counterattack in the final ten minutes. The Seminoles punched in a go-ahead rushing touchdown and added a late field goal to secure a hard-fought 31–24 victory, denying Boston College an upset victory at Alumni Stadium.

In postgame interviews, Boston College players credited offensive coordinator staff for keeping practices spirited with the trick installation, acknowledging that while the execution was flawless, defensive breakdowns in the fourth quarter ultimately cost them the contest.

Boston College vs. Florida State scoring sequence

How the game unfolded leading up to the viral third-quarter touchdown.

  1. Florida State opens scoring with an early touchdown drive to take a 7–0 lead.
  2. Boston College responds with a field goal and touchdown pass, entering halftime trailing 14–10.
  3. Florida State extends its lead to 21–10 on an 18-yard slant pass.
  4. Boston College answers with a long drive to pull within 21–17.
  5. BC executes the spinning "Ring-Around-The-Rosie" huddle; McKenzie shovels to Green for a 2-yard touchdown to take a 24–21 lead.
  6. Florida State scores 10 unanswered points to claim a 31–24 road victory.

Where it happened: Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

The star marks Alumni Stadium on the Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, where the trick play was executed.

★ Alumni Stadium, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Mass. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Reaction on X

CBS Sports writer Tom Fornelli and college football accounts widely shared footage of the trick huddle on X Saturday evening.

Search Boston College trick play reactions on X for video clips, fan memes, and broadcast highlights.

Research and verification notes

Reporting based on live ACC Network broadcast footage and official game statistics from Boston College Athletics, with reporting corroboration from Saturday Down South, Newsweek, and The Heights.

Social verification note: The video post by CBS Sports analyst Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) was verified directly against the live game broadcast sequence in the third quarter.

Sources