It was early evening in Green Bay, Wis. and it had turned into a cool late summer night, but inside a packed Lambeau Field things were beginning to heat up.
The Wisconsin Badgers were down 14-13 to an opponent they had lost to in a similar situation just two years earlier. It is a loss the juniors and seniors still remember quite clearly, along with the Badger faithful.
After establishing a 13-0 lead over No. 5 LSU, Wisconsin allowed two scores in just over a minute of game clock and just like that the Tigers had taken control. It appeared a bad case of déjà vu was just over a quarter away and the Badgers' players and their fans would be left discussing the “what ifs” of the season yet again.
That is, until No. 27 stepped onto the field.
“I saw Rafael make three solid field goals today with a lot of pressure,” defensive captain Vince Biegel said. “I think he was the unsung hero in this game.”
“Our offense played well, our defense played well, our special teams played well, but give Rafael a lot of credit for making big-time kicks in big-time moments, and we’re going to need that the rest of the season from him.”
Rafael Gaglianone has had a difficult offseason. He, along with the rest of the college football universe, tragically lost a friend and respected colleague this summer. The tragedy prompted Gaglianone to change his jersey number and to dedicate the season in honor of his fallen friend.
Sam Foltz, Nebraska’s incumbent punter, was killed in a single-vehicle auto accident in July while returning from an offseason kicking program that took place in Wisconsin. Foltz and Michigan State kicker Mike Sadler both suffered fatal injuries, while the LSU kicker Colby Delahoussaye survived with minor physical injuries.
Delahoussaye regained consciousness when the flames began licking his legs inside of the wrecked vehicle. Had he not, the accident could have easily claimed a third life that day.
The kicking world is a tight-knit community, and Foltz and Gaglianone were close. The two Big Ten legs spent many offseasons together and became much more like family to one another. Gaglianone has repeatedly stated that Foltz is a great football player, but he’s an even better friend.
“From the day I met you I have looked up to you, not only for what you could do on the field but mostly for the person you were outside of it,” read Gaglianone’s recent Instagram post.
Although Foltz is physically no longer here, Gaglianone believes he is still very much by his side psychologically, especially when he needs him.
Having already drilled fields goals of 30 and 48 yards in the first half, Gaglianone trotted out onto the field with 47 yards between him and the crossbars that could give the Badgers the lead in the final minutes.
Badgers head coach Paul Chryst was confident in his kicker in those final moments. “The confidence level, I think we played to it,” he said. “Once we felt like we were in field goal range we were going to put it in his hands.”
With the wind in his face and standing right near that 50-yard mark, Gaglianone knew it wasn't going to be automatic, but he also realized he wasn't back there alone.
“He was with me on that last one, that's for sure,” Gaglianone recalled while wearing his “SF” wristbands.
The ball left Gaglianone’s foot and seemed to hang in the air for a brief moment before the wind let up and Foltz carried it through the uprights for Gaglianone and the Badgers.
“Sam had to have an eye out for me from above, holding back the winds a little bit for that one to go through,” he said with a smile.
Meanwhile, as Badger fans were thanking Foltz for his divine intervention, hundreds of miles away Nebraska had called out their punt team, lining up one man short. The Cornhuskers just stood there in formation pointing to the sky, with little more than a memory lined up at punter.
We had to take a delay of game, weren't able to get all 11 guys out to punt in time.
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) September 4, 2016
Missing one of them. pic.twitter.com/o3mzXQZqlO
They never snapped the ball. They took the delay of game in honor of Sam and Fresno State declined the penalty in show of support, a touching tribute in the “every play matters” culture of college football. These are the moments that remind us that life is much bigger than a game.
It was a day full of tributes and warm feelings.
