Editor’s note: for the 10-year anniversary of this game, kicker Matt Hogan wrote about his game-winning, walk-off kick in Tulsa in 2009. We’ve left his words exactly how they were written.
I can’t believe it’s been ten years since my greatest accomplishment! Happy it still lives on in Cougar lore.
As cliche as this sounds, I did not have a thought in my head other than making great contact and drilling this field goal right down the middle. Because Kevin Sumlin chose to defend the north end zone to start the game, with input from Tony Levine, I had a fairly strong wind at my back. They made the decision just in case it was a close game, and we needed a field goal at the end.
Tulsa had no timeouts left, so I knew that I could not be “iced.” Case Keenum was trying to encourage me and pep me up, but I didn’t want to hear any of it. I was locked in and focused on my target, the dead center of the AllState hands on the netting between the field goal posts. TBH, I missed my exact target just slightly to the left, but if you aim small, you miss small.
I took my three steps back, looked again at my target, and took my two steps to the side at a 90-degree right angle and my little ‘half-opener’ step. I took a deep breath, exhaled, and looked again at my target. I locked eyes with Case Keenum and gave him the slight head nod that I was ready.
My focus then turned to his hand on the ground and where the ball would be placed. Once his hand lifted off the turf, my approach began—nothing different about this kick than any other kick I have ever had. I just maintained a smooth approach and made great contact on the ball, and the rest is history.
This may have been one of the best balls I have ever hit and may have been good from 75! (Another editor’s note: it would have been.)
