ROGER CARLSON
Lying flat on his back and virtually helpless with future NFL Hall of
Famer Alan Page smothering him, Craig Fertig could only hear what was
happening as he and a receiver named Rod Sherman were immortalized in
USC football history that Nov. afternoon in 1964 -- 40 years ago, yet
still one of the most vivid memories in the university's annals.
"It did, it changed my life," said Fertig, a 62-year-old football
coach at Estancia High of his touchdown pass with 1:33 left in the game as Sherman caught it at the 3-yard line and twisted into the end
zone.
The vanquished was unbeaten, believed to be unbeatable, No.
1-ranked Notre Dame as USC pulled out a 20-17 victory before 83,840
at the Coliseum in Los Angeles.
It was the only game of the day and on a national basis virtually
everyone interested in college football viewed the game on
television.
"It was like when John Kennedy was shot. Everyone knows where they
were at that moment," Fertig said. "People all the time tell me they
remember exactly what they were doing that day. Even the fans who
were there can tell you their seat number."
It ended Notre Dame's bid for a first perfect season in 15 years.
It also ended USC's season at 7-3 when it was learned the Trojans
had not been extended an invitation to the Rose Bowl in favor of
Oregon State, which had produced an identical 3-1 record in the
Athletic Association of Western Universities.
All Oregon State needed was to have a tie in the conference voting
and with Washington, Washington State, Oregon State and Oregon
representing the northern section of the AAWU, that in itself was all
that was needed to get the nod.
A tie was an automatic decision since USC had just been to the
bowl in January of '63, as opposed to a 1956 appearance by Oregon
State when Iowa handled the Beavers, 35-19.
USC Coach John McKay, who used the possibility like a dangling
carrot, was well aware of the facts and his statement in the locker
room was prophetic: "You never know, strange things happen."
It was a far different outlook than what was happening in the
winning quarters as players celebrated their staggering upset of
Notre Dame and to a player, they were convinced they would be playing
Michigan on New Year's Day, although memories are somewhat
conflicting about the timing, some say they knew in the locker room,
others say it wasn't known until later in the evening.
"I was one of the captains who had planned our party for after the
game," recalled Fertig, "and Mike Garrett turned on the TV. It was
