The Super Bowl has become essentially a national holiday around the globe due to its win or go home championship game method. Much like the World Cup for soccer, the Super Bowl is something that everyone knows about whether they are a football fan or not.

In Super Bowl XLIX, the stakes were a little different than usual since for the first time in over ten years, a team could repeat as Super Bowl champions. The game pitted the defending champion Seattle Seahawks against the New England Patriots, whom led by their legendary duo of coach Bill Belichick and quarter-back Tom Brady were aiming to claim their fourth Super Bowl trophy since 2000.

The game was believed to be one of the best ever and it lived up to expectations. At the start of the game, both teams seemed nervous and the defenses were leading the way. As the game entered halftime, the score was even at 14 all, making it that much harder to even have any idea whom would be victorious.

Heading into the fourth quarter the Seahawks looked as if they were going to be the first team to repeat as champions since the Patriots did it back in 2004. Yet the football gods decided that Tom Brady and the Patriots had one more strike in them. With under two minutes left in the game, the Patriots held a 28-24 lead over the Seahawks but the Seahawks weren’t done yet themselves. After a miraculous catch from Seahawks wide-reciever Jermaine Kearse, the Seahawks seemed defined to steal the game from the Patriots.

Two plays later, with 40 seconds to go and the Seahawks on the one-yard-line, quarter-back Russell Wilson stepped back to pass only to be intercepted by corner-back Malcolm Butler. The game was over and the world in shock as the Patriots were once again champions.

“Brady is a legend,” said criminal justice major Alex Fishman. “He is the greatest quarterback ever and he proved it against the Seahawks.”

The controversy that followed the game was how come the Seahawks didn’t run the ball on the first down play that led to an interception. They have arguably the best running-back in football in Marshawn Lynch whom is known for his physical running style. They has 40 seconds on the clock with a timeout left so what was the reasoning behind the terrible call to throw the ball? How do you not at least try one play with Lynch and see what happens since 99 out of 100 times, Lynch will get into the end zone.

“I’m honestly disappointed in the last second play calling,” said second year Moorpark student Aaron Watson. “We could have repeated as champions if not for a dumb call, it hurts.”

The question remains, who made the judgement call to throw the ball instead of run the ball. Did Russell Wilson change the play call at the line of scrimmage after seeing the defensive formation? Did head coach Pete Carroll change the running play to a passing play to ensure Russell Wilson, not Marshawn Lynch would get the MVP if executed correctly? Or were the Seahawks paid to throw the game because on that play at least, they looked as if they weren’t even trying to win.

It’s always risky to throw the ball inside the five-yard-line in football but in the Super Bowl on a game winning drive, the stakes increase. No matter who called for the play to occur, it will go down as one of the biggest blunders in NFL history and will leave a stain with the Seahawks and their fans for years to come.