Linemen Beat Jousters 26-23 to Win 2021 The Spring League Mega Bowl
Jun 19, 2021
A bag of footballs on the field during Pittsburgh Steelers NFL football training camp in Latrobe, Pa. on Sunday, July 27, 2014 . (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Isaac Zico's 16-yard touchdown catch with 52 seconds remaining capped off the Linemen's 26-23 comeback victory over the Jousters in the 2021 Mega Bowl to cap off the Spring League season.
Two plays before his go-ahead touchdown, Zico appeared to have scored on a very different kind play. He recovered a fumble by Tra Minter and carried it across the goal line, but league rules prevent advancing the ball on a recovery inside of two minutes.
Quarterback Ryan Willis looked in Zico's direction on each of the next two plays, nearly hitting him on the first pass attempt. They connected for six on second down to take the lead.
Willis, who was named Mega Bowl MVP, finished 26-of-37 for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Zico was on the receiving end of both scores.
The Jousters were in control for most of the game. They led 14-9 at the half and extended that advantage to 11 points with a quick touchdown to open the third quarter.
Zico's first touchdown came with 7:13 left in the third quarter to cut the Linemen's deficit to 20-16.
After the Jousters added a field goal near the end of the third quarter to extend their lead back to seven, the Linemen came to life in the fourth quarter.
Jonathan Song got the Linemen back within 23-19 thanks to his field goal with just over seven minutes left to play.
Both teams would go scoreless until the Willis-Zico combination put the Linemen on top for their only lead of the game.
The Linemen and Jousters were the top two teams in the league during the regular season by point differential. Both clubs were plus-60, but they had success in very different ways. The Linemen's 177 points scored led the Spring League. The Jousters were the only team that allowed fewer than 100 points (68).
In the end, the Linemen's offensive firepower proved too much for the Jousters to overcome. They finished the year 6-1 overall, including Saturday's win in the Mega Bowl.
