Trailing 27-24 with time winding down, Nealy takes a handoff into the clear down the left sideline, with no defenders to oppose him. At the Iowa 5 yard line, a rift in space-time opens and Nealy is spirited away from the ethereal plane. Officials review the play and determine that Nealy was attacked by the ghost of Hayden Fry, which constitutes an extension of the Kinnick playing surface and therefore the runner is down by contact. Time expires and the Cyclones lose.
Meanwhile, in another time and place, the participles that once formed Devondrick Nealy become reconstituted, but now he was must exist only as a wraith who can bodyslide to different times and places with the express purpose of destroying ISU. His first mission is to compel Woody Hayes to punch a Clemson player, thus ensuring that Earle Bruce is hired away from Ames.
The Cyclones therefore become entangled in a time loop that ensures that the worst must always happen for ISU at exactly the wrong time.
Also, KF goes through 3 packs of gum.