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As time expired in Saturday night's LSU-Auburn game, LSU took a last-second snap, and quarterback Danny Etling rolled out to find receiver D.J. Chark in the right corner of the end zone. Chark made a brilliant catch that, for a moment, appeared to give LSU a 19-18 victory. But it didn't work out that way, and LSU lost the touchdown and the game.

Let's break down everything here.

1. Despite an LSU penalty before the play, there was no clock runoff.

Dead ball fouls in the final minute of a game carry a 10-second runoff as a penalty, so it's reasonable to wonder why the game didn't end after LSU's illegal shift. But technically, an illegal shift isn't a dead ball foul -- it's a foul committed simultaneously with the snap, so there was no runoff. That meant LSU got one more shot.

2. But the clock was still running, and LSU had to be really quick.

That's another thing about the ball not being dead. The clock was still running, slated to start on an official's whistle. And the play LSU had run beforehand, the one with the illegal shift, ended with exactly one second left on the clock.

This meant LSU would need to snap the ball after the whistle, but before the clock read all zeroes. That's less than a second, by definition.

3. LSU snapped the ball. Etling's throw was legal.

Let's pretend LSU had gotten the play off in time. Etling was charging pretty hard toward the line of scrimmage at Auburn's 15, and much of his body was beyond the line when he threw. But to call a penalty, Etling's entire body would've had to cross the line of scrimmage at the time he released the ball.

etling

Sure looks like Etling's back foot is behind the line. This throw would've been correctly counted.

4. Chark's catch was great, too.

The LSU receiver made a brilliant reception. He clearly controlled the ball and got at least his left foot in bounds. This was incredible footwork and hand-eye coordination.

lsu

5. So LSU wins, right?

Well, no. Because:

lsu auburn

The ball didn't get snapped in time, pretty clearly. The game was already over.

6. So Auburn wins, even though it gave up a backbreaking last-second TD?

You'd better believe it! Auburn backed into this win harder than any sports team has backed into any win in the history of organized sport, but a win's a win. LSU's last play, officially, never happened.

It won't go in any stat books, and it won't count anywhere but in the minds of some sad LSU fans. Those people deserve some sympathy, because most sports fans never have to go through an ordeal exactly like this one.

"RE: wtf... AU Wins... WTF !!!!"

Here's what the hell happened at the end of LSU-Auburn 2016

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