Oct 17, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Jalen Watts-Jackson (20) is mobbed by teammates after scoring a touchdown as the clock expires in the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Michigan State 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Report: 'Trouble With the Snap' Among Best Plays of the Century

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 4:00 PM ET

You don't have to be a Michigan State fan -- or Michigan fan -- to know the meaning of "Trouble With the Snap."

It's one of the most memorable plays in college football history, and one that saw a seventh-ranked Michigan State team keep its undefeated season alive.

Oct. 17, 2015. Michigan led, 23-21, at The Big House and was set to punt on fourth-and-2 with just 10 seconds remaining. Essentially, all the Wolverines needed to do was prevent Michigan State from returning the punt to the house and get one or two stops to secure the victory.

But former Michigan punter Blake O'Neill was unable to secure the snap, and the ball found the hands of former Michigan State safety Jalen Watts-Jackson, who returned it to the end zone as time expired.

The play went viral, and the words, "Whoa, he has trouble with the snap," sounded by Sean McDonough, ESPN's play-by-play caller for the game, have been synonymous with the heated in-state rivalry for nearly a decade.

It's easily one of the greatest plays of the last 25 years and was recognized as such in a recent ranking from ESPN, which recognized the "college football's top 25 plays since 2000."

"Trouble With the Snap," came in at No. 8.

"The ESPN broadcast immediately panned to Michigan student Chris Baldwin, who had his hands on his head in disbelief, ultimately producing the most viral surrender cobra," wrote ESPN's Jake Trotter. "Watts-Jackson broke his hip as he was tackled into the end zone. But he headed to the hospital as a Spartans legend."

That iconic play from October 2025 was one of three plays in the ranking that Michigan found itself on the other end of.

The first was Appalachian State's game-clinching blocked field goal that secured one of the greatest upsets in college football history when the Mountaineers took down the No. 5-ranked Wolverines in Ann Arbor in Week 1 of the 2007 season. That was the fifth-highest ranked play on the list.

The third was former South Carolina edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney's brutal tackle against former Michigan running back Vincent Smith in the backfield in the 2013 Outback Bowl. He would force and recover the fumble. The play was ranked No. 11.

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