Des Moines, Iowa – Unbelievable. Amazing. Miracle.
 
Use whichever word you like to describe the final play of Stetson's stunning 23-21 victory Saturday afternoon at Drake Stadium, and none of them seem to do justice to what happened on the field during the Pioneer Football League showdown.
 
After leading the home-standing Bulldogs (3-2, 2-1) for most of the game, the Hatters looked on in near disbelief when, with just 45 seconds left to play, Drake quarterback Grant Kraemer found a wide-open Devin Cates for a 76-yard touchdown.
 
The play came after the Hatters (4-1, 2-1) were forced to punt on fourth and one from their own 35 when a first down would have sealed a 17-14 victory. Cates, Drake's 6-4 senior who came in with a team-high 21 receptions, had been shutout on the day before racing down the middle of the field untouched to give the Bulldogs a 21-17 lead.
 
Drake was penalized after the touchdown for excessive celebration, which resulted in Stetson getting the ball at the Hatters' 35 following the kickoff.
 
With just one timeout to play with, Stetson quarterback Colin McGovern connected with Jack Bowen for 13 yards and a first down, stopping the clock. McGovern then hit senior tight end Donald Parham for 20 yards and another first down, again stopping the clock.
 
The next pass went to junior Steven Burdette for 17 yards to the Drake 15. Stetson used its final timeout with nine seconds left on the clock, enough time for perhaps two throws into the end zone.
 
On what turned out to be the final play, McGovern was flushed from the pocket by a Drake pass rush that had been relentless all day. The Bulldogs recorded three sacks in the game to go with three other quarterback hurries, but they also hit McGovern repeatedly, twice getting flagged for roughing the passer.
 
With the game on the line, McGovern moved to his left to avoid the rush and connected again with Bowen, a redshirt freshman. At the eight yard line, with three Drake defenders about to bring Bowen down to end the game, he did the only thing he could think of to keep the Hatters' chances alive – he dropped the ball.
 
Burdette, who was on his way to try to help Bowen reach the end zone, saw the ball rolling on the ground, scooped and scored as the clock hit :00.
 
Both benches erupted in celebration at the end of the play. Drake, which was on the far side of the field from the play, celebrated thinking Bowen had been tackled and the game was over, not realizing that Burdette was in the end zone with the ball.
 
The Hatters were also celebrating, because they did see where the ball ended up.
 
Both teams held their collective breathes as the officials gathered to discuss the play. When referee Aaron Adams announced that the ball had been fumbled and the result of the play was a touchdown, the Stetson celebration was on.
 
The game got off to a much calmer start earlier in the day under a gloomy Iowa sky, with a 32-yard Danny Donley field goal, giving Drake a 3-0 lead, the only action in a defensive first quarter. That Bulldogs drive, covering 70 yards in 11 plays, was the only possession of the first eight in the game that didn't end in a punt.
 
Stetson finally got on track on the ninth possession, driving 81 yards in 18 plays for the Hatters' first points of the game. McGovern completed eight of his 13 pass attempts on the drive – spreading the ball between Bowen (1-6), Justin Jordan (1-12), Burdette (2-19) and Parham (4-45) – with the final 12-yard pass going to Parham for the score.
 
For Parham, who broke the Stetson career record for receiving yards earlier in the game, it was his 12^th career touchdown reception, giving him that mark as well. He finished the day with 12 catches for 112 yards.
 
The Stetson defense thwarted Drake twice later in the quarter, with interceptions from Jamieson Craske and Dwight Lawrence preventing the Bulldogs from getting into the end zone.
 
The pick for Lawrence set the Hatters up at the Drake 29 with 49 seconds left in the half. McGovern was hit late on two of the next three plays, moving the ball to the Bulldogs' eight with 19 seconds left. Stetson used its final timeout with plans to take one shot at the end zone before bringing on the field goal unit.
 
McGovern connected with Matt Taft at the five, but the Bulldogs stopped him there and, before the Hatters could get the field goal unit onto the field, the clock ran out.
 
The Bulldogs got the ball first to start the second half and got a 54-yard run from Cross Robinson deep into Stetson territory. But the Hatters didn't allow Drake to gain any more, forcing a 34-yard field goal that cut the Stetson lead to 7-6.
 
Stetson answered immediately, turning to running back Jareem Westcott. The freshman gained 48 yards on five carries before McGovern connected with Burdette on a 20-yard touchdown pass for a 14-6 lead.
 
Unphased, Drake answered right back. The Bulldogs needed just seven plays to cover 75 yards, with Kraemer hitting Mitch McFarlane for an 18-yard TD pass, cutting the Stetson lead to 14-12. The same combo hooked up on a two-point conversion pass, tying the game at 14 with 7:55 left in the third quarter.
 
The Hatters regained the lead late in the quarter after Drake's Terry Wallen muffed a Matias Gasc punt. Jalon Scott recovered for Stetson at the Drake 20. Three plays later Jonny Messina connected on a 31-yard field goal, putting the Hatters up 17-14.
 
Three times in the final quarter the Stetson defense clamped down on the Drake offense. Twice the Hatters stopped the Bulldogs on fourth down to turn the ball over and then, with 3:30 to play, Colby Duncan forced a fumble that Reggie Gantt recovered for the Hatters.
 
Stetson picked up one first down on that possession, but was stopped just short of getting a second with 1:08 to play and Drake out of timeouts. The Hatters punted the ball back to the Bulldogs, setting the stage for the dramatic final minute of play.
 
For the game, McGovern completed 29-of-44 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Kraemer hit on 19-of-36 for Drake, throwing for 277 yards.
 
On the ground, Westcott finished with 80 yards on a modern program record 23 carries.
 
Duncan led the Stetson defense – which had five tackles for loss including four sacks to go with seven quarterback hurries – with a game-high 10 total tackles.
 
The Hatters will be back home at Spec Martin Stadium next Saturday for a sunshine state showdown against rival Jacksonville. That game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.