Five seconds were left on the clock at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. The score read 49 for each of the Iowa Barnstormers and Sioux Falls Storm.
Barnstormers kicker Josh Gable lined up to kick a 52-yard field goal that would give his team the win, and seal home-field advantage in the playoffs.
The snap was high. The kick was low.
Sioux Falls Storm beat Iowa Barnstormers on last-second, blocked field goal
Sioux Falls had blocked the field goal, and forced Iowa to recover the ball in its own end zone. The result was a safety, and a Sioux Falls win.
The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the team, being their first defeat since March 30 on the road at Nebraska.
Though, Iowa should have won that game on Friday night.
With 1:02 left in the 3rd quarter, the Barnstormers held a 49-31 lead; an 18-point advantage.
Tyrell Pearson intercepted his second ball of the game in the back of the end zone.
Pearson started to run up field but veered to the right trying to escape tacklers, eventually falling in the end zone. Except, Pearson had stepped over the goal line by about half a yard.
The interception turned into a safety.
What would have given the Barnstormers the ball with an 18-point lead late in the third quarter, turned into a 10-point swing by the time Sioux Falls scored a touchdown and converted a two-point conversion.
Eventually the Storm got the ball back to score again and tie the game with 13 seconds to play, resulting in the blocked field goal to win.
Iowa will now face a must-win game against the Cedar Rapids Titans next Saturday, June 16 at Wells Fargo Arena. Barring an upset of the Arizona Rattlers by the Nebraska Danger, the Barnstormers will clinch home-field advantage with a victory.
