Is Jake Bates a wizard?

Nerd Alert:

Many are wondering how the 59-yard field goal by Jake Bates swerved in an s-curve as though some magic trick was performed. The short answer: it was physics.

The long answer: The Magnus effect. 

The Magnus effect is a force that acts perpendicular to the trajectory of a spinning object moving through a fluid, like air or liquid. It's named after German physicist H.G. Magnus, who first studied it in 1853. The effect creates a pressure imbalance, with higher and lower pressure zones on opposite sides of the spinning object. This imbalance generates a sidewise force, also known as a "lift force", that can deflect the object's path. 

In the case of a kicked football, the Magnus effect is amplified due to the shape and imbalance that the laces impart on the football. Also, a football has the ability to rotate on a dual-axis.

Bates' kick rotated 28 times on the horizontal axis and 1.25 times, clockwise, on the vertical axis over the course of 59 yards.

Let's take you through the graphic:

Image 1 : The football is in its first half rotation on the horizontal axis after it was kicked. As you can see, the laces are pointed straight back, which means the laces were pointed straight towards the target by holder Jack Fox.

Image 2: The ball is traveling at 70+ mph and it has rotated 3 times in the horizontal axis and one quarter of a rotation in the vertical axis. Pressure zones are starting to build and have an effect on the ball at this point.

Image 3: The ball has rotated 16 times in the horizontal axis and three quarters of a rotation in the vertical axis. The imbalance of pressure zones, as well as the increased drag of the laces have made the football curve 3 feet to the right and at its peak trajectory height.

Image 4: The football has rotated 28 times in the hortizaonal axis, rotated an additional one-half of a turn in the vertical axis. The laces are now pointed to the left and the increased drag causes the ball to curved back to the left 3 feet and back through the uprights.

Keep in mind, Wind, temperature and seas level are also variables that have an impact on how the football reacts, but this was indoors.

This also shows why it is important for the holder to point the laces towards the path of the kick, and hopefully your kicker doesn’t put side spin on the ball…unless they kick it offline :)