SMU's Garrett Gilbert pulls off crazy two-point play to extend game against Rutgers (VIDEO)

The state of Texas already has one Johnny Manziel but Rutgers might make a good case for putting Garrett Gilbert into the same category.

Gilbert, the Texas University transfer and current SMU quarterback, did his best Johnny Football impression by going left, then right, left again before going all the way right to throw the ball the entire width of the field for a two-point conversion to even the score during a wild game on Saturday.

The ridiculous conversion tied it up at 35, which allowed for a triple OT to take place, with Rutgers ultimately coming back and winning it 55-52.

Still, the play deserves consideration as a play of the day. SMU coach June Jones called Gilbert's scramble, "all him."

5-year-old battling Leukemia sacks Northern Illinois quarterback (VIDEO)

Zach Dacy, a 5-year-old who is battling Leukemia, was recently invited to attend a Northern Illinois football practice.

His parents, Joe and Jen, are NIU alums and Joe had contacted the school over the summer to see about attending a Huskies game. His email made the rounds and the athletic department made arrangements for the Dacy family to come to the Eastern Illinois game and take in a practice the week before.

Little Zach is a huge football fan. He roots for the Green Bay Packers and says Clay Matthews and Aaron Rodgers — both of whom he got to meet last year— are his favorite players.

At the end of NIU practice last week, NIU coach Rod Carey set up a special surprise for Zach. He was going to get a chance to meet the 4-0 team and sack quarterback Jordan Lynch.

The offensive and defensive lines got set up and the blond-maned Zach looked like a miniature Matthews before getting into his stance. He made a few moves, zig-zagged his way through a couple of blockers before sacking Lynch in the pocket  For once, the team didn't mind seeing their QB take some lumps and hoisted a smiling Zach up in the air.

A small gesture with a big reward.

Government shutdown could halt Air Force-Navy game

College football may end up being penalized because of the narrow-minded stubbornness of politicians in Washington, D.C. and their own little game on Capital Hill.

Air Force associate athletic director Troy Garnhart confirmed to the Capital Gazette that there “is a possibility” the game against Navy in Annapolis may not be played Saturday due to the government shutdown.  The Gazette wrote “upper-class cadets at the Air Force Academy are considered military personnel, which means they could be subject to travel restrictions under the shutdown.”

An email seeking comment from Navy on the possibility of the shutdown forcing the postponement/cancellation of the game between the two service academies has yet to be returned.

The paper reports that there should be some clarity regarding the game and if it will go off as scheduled later on today.

The longest government shutdown came in 1995 and lasted 21 days.  The good news for Air Force is that they don’t have another road game scheduled after this weekend until a Nov. 8 trip to New Mexico. Experts say this shutdown could last for weeks.

One thing that isn’t clear, and what we’re attempting to clarify, is whether Army and Navy upperclassmen fall into the same category as the upper-class cadets at the Air Force Academy.  If so, the shutdown could impact a handful of those games in the next month: Army at Boston College this Saturday; Army at Temple Oct. 19; Navy at Duke Oct. 12; and Navy at Navy at Toledo Oct. 19.

UNC shows off Military Appreciation Day helmets for ECU game

North Carolina's home game against East Carolina on Saturday will be the Tar Heels' chance to celebrate Military Appreciation Day at Kenan Stadium. The ceremonies at the game will include several opportunities to honor those who fight for our country, but UNC players will also show off their patriotism with the gear the team will wear on the field.

You can bet UNC fans won't mind trading Tar Heel sky-blue for these colors.

Photos of the American flag-themed helmets were posted to Twitter via the football team's official account.

.@CoachFedora at today's press conference with the UNC ROTC representatives. pic.twitter.com/muvZobrykj
— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) September 23, 2013

Man offers date with step-daughter on Craigslist complete with free tickets to Vols-Gators game

A compassionate dad has offered a date with his step-daughter on Craigslist after she was stood up and is even throwing in 40-yard tickets to an upcoming prime-time college football game to sweeten the deal.

This is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime package deal Gary Yates offered on the Gainesville, Florida Craigslist, when he gave readers the chance to take his step-daughter to see the Tennessee Volunteers take on the Florida Gators this Saturday.

Yates explained that 27-year-old Jessica Flanagan's date had suddenly backed out of their arrangement to go the Vols' Sept. 21 away clash with the Gators in Gainesville and he decided to play Cupid —with the enticement of the free seats.

But the ad lays down some strict ground rules:

My step-daughter's date has backed out (his loss your gain) for the game...

1 Free ticket for the Tennessee-Florida Football game this Saturday (cost to me, $150) on the 40 for the right gentleman. You must be an attractive, professional, single well educated gentleman, with a good sense of humor, 25-33. You also must not be threatened by an attractive, professional, single well educated lady, (as she is). If you do not qualify, please pass this ad to a friend.

The fine print: I lied! (Sorry...not totally free). Your cost will be a modest dinner, drinks and delightful conversation with her before or after the game.

P.S. (Being a Tennessee Vols fan is not required but is highly desirable)

Only those that respond with pictures and resume will be considered! Be creative!

The lifelong Volunteers fan said his inbox had been inundated with offers since the ad — now removed  — was posted on Monday night.

"I've had a couple of lighthearted responses, one of them was hilarious, but yeah, it's been mostly serious responses — I would guess, I don't know, 30 or 40," he said.

And Yates added that he had run the idea by the fair-haired Flanagan before posting the advertisement and she would have the final say over who would be her date.

"I wouldn't do something like that without her permission," said Yates.

There ad doesn't specify if Yates will be tagging along as well. After all, this is Tennessee football — and a $150 ticket —  we're talking about.

Eminem gives whacked-out interview on ESPN's 'Saturday Night Football' (VIDEO)

The rarely seen Eminem appeared on ESPN's "Saturday Night Football" to offer a sneak peek of his video for new single "Berzerk" that will introduce the show every week — and might now wish he stayed in hiding.

A bugged out-looking (see GIF below) Eminem — or Marshall Mathers as he was called — appeared with announcers Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth during halftime of the Notre Dame-Michigan game. The interview got off to an awkward start when the trio discussed the making of the video — and the exchanges had Herbstreit rolling his eyes. But even hip old Brent knew that the bearded guy in the video clip was music producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin and and that knowledge seemed to put the "uncomfortable" Mathers at ease —sort of.

Musburger asked the die-hard Lions fan if the team would cover the 4 1/2-point spread against the Vikings Sunday, but the zonked rapper didn't want to "jinx" his hometown Detroit team and just said they would win.

At the end of the interview a genuinely humbled Mathers awkwardly told Musburger that he was honored to be in the same booth as the veteran sportscaster and would put him on his fantasy football announcers team along with the late Pat Summerall, John Madden and Al Michaels. He even showed Herbstreit "much respect" and told him, "You're great too."

It was all a little bizarre and surreal from the start but the spacy "8 Mile" star showed that he's a pretty knowledgeable fan of football —or at least the guys who broadcast them.