Boise State In Finals For Top Play In History

The journey for the Statue of Liberty play in the Greatest Highlight competition is much the same as Boise State's was in the game itself. Going into the competition, reaching the all-time finals was as unlikely as, well, Boise State's chances of beating Oklahoma. And yet here is the play in a coveted position of being considered by fans across the nation as one of the top two plays ever.

Boise State is in the finals of ESPN’s Greatest Highlight as the Broncos’ “Statue of Liberty” play handed Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie’s “Hail Mary” pass a decisive defeat during balloting on Sunday and Monday.

The “Statue of Liberty” play, known as “Statue Left” used by the Broncos for a two-point conversion in overtime to defeat Oklahoma a 43-42 in the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, received 68 percent of the fans votes.

Boise State now advances to the finals against the winner of the highlight between Mike Eruzione’s goal to give the U.S. Hockey Team the lead against the former U.S.S.R. at the 1980 Winter Olympics, or Franco Harris’ “Immaculate” reception which lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to victory over the Oakland Raiders in the 1972 NFL Playoffs.  Voting for that highlight will continue until sometime Tuesday (Feb. 26) afternoon when the final balloting begins.

The Greatest Highlight, hosted by Chris Berman, is a chance for voters to help determine the all-time best highlight in a tournament-style setting.  Fans narrowed the list of 100 candidates to 16, and those finalists were then seeded in a highlight bracket where it’s a win or go home result for each highlight.

Boise State won its first round match versus Michael Jordan’s jumper against the Utah Jazz to give the Chicago Bulls its sixth NBA title in 1998, receiving 57 percent of the votes.  In the semifinals, the Bronco play received 56 percent of the votes to defeat the Cal-Stanford “Band is on the Field” highlight from 1982 collegiate football season.