Yahoo News Kentucky RB A.J. Rose celebrates too early, gets caught from behind, later loses fumble
Just when you thought D.K. Metcalf taught the world not to celebrate too early, something similar happened in the college ranks on Saturday. Twice.
Metcalf, the star receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, caught a deep ball last weekend against the Dallas Cowboys and started celebrating before reaching the end zone, only for a Cowboys defender to knock the ball out of the end zone for a touchback.
Apparently Kentucky’s A.J. Rose missed that highlight. With his team trailing Ole Miss 7-0 early in the first quarter, Rose broke off a huge run. Around the 30-yard line, with it looking like a clear path to six points, Rose threw up a celebratory peace sign and seemed to slow down a bit. A few seconds later, he was tripped up at the 3.
It went in the books as a 72-yard run. Those three yards mattered.
Two plays later, Rose received the snap out of the Wildcat and was stuffed right at the goal line. He tried to reach the ball over the plane of the goal line but was stripped. The ball was recovered by Ole Miss in a crazy turn of events.
That gaffe would end up costing Kentucky, too. The Wildcats lost 42-41 in overtime, with a missed extra point in OT as the main culprit. But it’s fair to wonder if Rose had sprinted all the way through the goal line in the first quarter if the game would have turned out differently.
Another early celebration costs CFB team
Rose wasn’t the only one to celebrate too early on Saturday.
With his team trailing Army 23-0 in the second quarter, Abilene Christian’s Lionell McConnell broke off a huge run and thought he was destined for the end zone. He even put a peace sign up around the 20-yard line, only to get caught from behind around the 10.
Don't throw up the ✌️ too early... pic.twitter.com/tQEGiv5f2E
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) October 3, 2020
Listen to Tyreek Hill, kids. Not everyone has his breakaway speed.
I see plenty guys getting tackled while chucking up the deuces , that’s a no bueno 🙂🙂
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) October 3, 2020
In this instance, McConnell’s long run set up first-and-goal, but the Wildcats ended up settling for a field goal. Army ended up winning the game 55-23.
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