Stanford led 20-19 with four seconds remaining when quarterback John Elway completed a field-goal drive. The Cardinal appeared headed to victory in the Big Game.
Kicker Mark Harmon squibbed the kickoff to Cal’s Kevin Moen. What happened next became college football legend.
Moen passed to Richard Rodgers. That started a chain reaction of five laterals that would define the rivalry forever.
The final lateral came from Mariet Ford back to Moen, who weaved through Cardinal defenders. He also had to navigate through the Stanford band, which had walked onto the field preparing for their postgame performance.
Cal radio announcer Joe Starkey delivered the most confusing call for anyone listening.
“Oh, the band is out on the field! He’s gonna go into the end zone! He got into the end zone!”
Moen slammed into Stanford trombone player Gary Tyrrell after scoring the winning touchdown. Cal won 25-20 on Nov. 20, 1982.
Starkey called it “The most amazing, sensational, dramatic, heart-rending, exciting, thrilling finish in the history of college football.”
The play remains controversial today. Were those laterals legal?
Whenever Stanford wins the Stanford Axe – the Big Game’s rivalry trophy – they change the score to Stanford 20-19.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfIi0uBMNBI
SN COVERS: Check out all the classics from Ty Cobb to Kobe Bryant
SN ARCHIVE: Relive sports history through the pages of The Sporting News
