Cannon's Halloween Run

Cannon's Halloween Run is the name given to a college football game where a crowd of 67,500 witnessed Billy Cannon of #1 LSU return a punt 89 yards for a touchdown against #3 Ole Miss late in the fourth quarter to give LSU a 7–3 victory.^[1]

History

Billy Cannon’s 89-yard punt return for a touchdown against third-ranked Ole Miss ranks among the most memorable plays in college football history.^[2] With LSU trailing 3–0 early in the fourth quarter, on fourth and 17 from the Ole Miss 42, Ole Miss punter Jake Gibbs punted 47 yards to the LSU 11-yard line where Cannon fielded the football on the bounce. Defying coach Paul Dietzel's orders to down punts that were caught that close to the end zone, Cannon took off.^[3] He eluded and bounced off seven would-be tacklers down Tiger Stadium's east sideline, then raced the last 60 yards untouched for what would be the game's only touchdown with 10 minutes left.^[4]

LSU kicked off to Ole Miss who then drove down the field to the LSU 5-yard line. After 3 plays Ole Miss was at the LSU 1-yard line. On fourth down and the final play of the game, LSU cornerback-quarterback Warren Rabb, with an assist from Cannon, tackled Ole Miss' Doug Elmore short of the goal line as time expired to preserve the 7–3 LSU victory.^[5][6]

References