Question:  Who threw the greatest TD pass in the history of Mizzou football?

Answer:  Not who you think.

Not Chase Daniel. Not Brad Smith. Not Phil Bradley.  Not Kirk Farmer.  Not even Phil Johnson.

As I watched the Tigers celebrate their second consecutive Big 12 North Championship, a feat that 10 years ago I never thought possible in my lifetime, I began to think about how far we had come since I stepped on to the MU campus in 1990. You see I believed in Bob Stull then. I believed when we beat Arizona St.   I believed in the Phil Johnson aka the White Whale.   Then hell happened.

The 5th Down.  The 73-0 drubbing by Texas A&M. The 10-10 tie with just off probation SMU with their QB Scott Bakula, running back Jason Bateman and OL Sinbad.  Ok maybe not Scott Bakula and Jason Bateman, but a team that looked a lot like the Texas State University Fightin’ Armadillos.    The Iowa St. game in sub zero temps where we played a nickel defense against a 3rd string QB who wore mittens to keep his hands warm.  F#$&ing Matt Davidson. The yearly beat downs by KSU and Nebraska.  There were flashes of hope during the Larry Smith (RIP) era, but his final game against KSU where his wife threw a tantrum on the sideline showed we were back to the bottom once again.  

Then Number 16 came.  Brad Smith brought us back, made us legit.  We were on TV almost every Saturday because he did something cool.  He put us back on the college football map.  But he didn’t throw the greatest pass in MU history. 

Then came the stocky Texan. It is often argued that Chase Daniel is the greatest QB in the history of the Missouri Tigers.  Once he is able to harpoon the White Whale that is Phil Johnson, it will be unquestioned that he is the greatest statistical QB that ever put on the Black and Gold.  The numbers don’t lie.  But Chase Daniel didn’t throw the most important pass in MU history.

Santino Riccio did.    On a cold and rainy October 11, 2003.  

11:21 left in the 4th Quarter.  Down 24-21 to the hated Cornhuskers. The riverboat gambler that is Gary Pinkel called for a fake field goal. 15 yards later, The Great Santino hit Victor Sesay with a 15 yard fade pattern in the corner of the end zone.  28-24 Tigers.  Two more touchdowns later and the bully had finally been beaten after 24 straight losses.

Why is that the greatest pass in the history of Missouri football?  Because in my opinion, it changed Missouri football forever. Up until that time, Missouri was a pretender.  How many times had we gone into a big game like that, and folded like a cheap suit?  How many times would we think we could be good, but every time we had that chance to get over the hump, we would lose. 

Sure we were 4-1 going into that game, but the week before the Nebraska game we got beat by a terrible Kansas team in Lawrence.  We beat Middle Tennessee St in overtime two weeks before, but probably should have lost.  This team had every reason in the world to question itself.  Hell, I questioned whether Pinkel could even coach.

If Sonny Riccio does not complete that pass to Sesay, we are still down 24-21. Crowd is out of it.  The players are down.  You know good and well Nebraska would have gone down and scored.  Game Over.

But Sonny said no. Not again.  Not today. Not in our house.    

The Tigers went on to play in their first Bowl game since 1998.  We might have collapsed and Pinkel might have been gone a year later. Who knows if Chase Daniel would have come to play for the Tigers.   Who know if the rest of that senior class comes or if Jeremy Mac or Spoon come to Missouri.   The last two years may never have happened without Sonny Riccio. Riccio to Sesay.  The greatest single pass in Missouri Tiger History.

So as we gather with our families and friends next week to give thanks and celebrate Thanksgiving and then file into Arrowhead to see the Orange Bowl revenge beat down of the Jayhawks, please remember to say give one last thank you to Sonny. 

Sonny transferred and was never heard from again.  But his contribution to Missouri football should never be forgotten. Thank you, Sonny wherever you are.