Alex Herrera lined up at the 39-yard line for a late field goal attempt with South Carolina’s in-conference matchup against LSU on the line.
The Gamecocks were trailing the Tigers 36-33 with five seconds to go. A made kick would tie the score, sending the game into overtime. But a missed kick would end the contest, stunning the large home crowd.
[Win two tickets to the South Carolina-Ole Miss football game]
Herrera had already made two field goals in the game, including one that increased South Carolina’s lead to four points in the fourth quarter. His third attempt would not find its mark, though, and sailed slightly outside the left upright.
“I mean, it wasn’t like he hit a crap kick that never had a chance. He hit a really good kick and just pulled it,” Shane Beamer said. “You could tell by his reaction with Kai (Kroeger) and a lot of people in the end zone – a lot of people thought he made it. My wife was down in the tunnel, I think, (and) she thought he made it.”
Beamer, while driving home from Williams-Brice Stadium, made it a point to call Herrera after the game was over. He used that phone conversation to reiterate his belief in Herrera, while also restoring the sixth-year kicker’s confidence.