One of those oh-so-rare players....literally every single time he got the ball in his hands, the entire crowd held its collective breath. Gale Sayers was another one.
I’ll never forget this. I was only 11 years old but it’s so clear. Rocket was a family friend and from my hometown. My living room was packed with family and friends all of us were on our feet screaming. This crushed us but we have so many amazing memories watching this legend play football from the stadium at Meyers to the Raiders. Absolute Legend and great human being.
That run was easily one of the greatest plays I've ever seen. That's the type of stuff which defines the Elite Greats! They can just make a play when it counts the most. I was heartbroken about that lousy penalty.
That was a questionable call at best. Looked like he caught the side and some of the front on the block. I'm not a ND fan at all, but hate when officials decide games.
For the refs to rob a great moment from a great player like that is sickening. Rocket Ismail had done that several times throughout his career. He was not only robbed of that moment, but robbed of the Heisman Trophy that year. The refs should have considered how another group of refs awarded 5 downs to Colorado earlier that year against Mizzou. They should have just picked up the flag for kicking the ball to Rocket in the first place.
Sal Aunese may have been the best QB in the country in 1989 and 1990 yet cancer robbed him of his life. Darian Hagan, the starting QB for Colorado in this game went down injured in the first half. Oh, those lucky Colorado Buffaloes.
Well, the other national champion that year, Georgia Tech had a better record with 11-0-1, while Colorado had a loss and a draw 11-1-1, ( and it should have even been 2 losses with that 5th down). But yes Sal Aunese was special like Tua.
@@flame-sky7148 Tech only had 1 legit NFL player and CU had 15. CU roster had 6 guys who won or played in Super Bowls. Numerous 1st, 2nd, 3rd round picks. CU played 8 teams in the final AP top 25. Tech only played 2. CU went undefeated against 4 of the top 12 teams and Tech only played 1. Tech would have lost to Notre Dame, Miami, and Colorado.
@@Denussy but they didn’t go undefeated, while Georgia Tech went undefeated with a draw. In fact Tech beat the #1 team Virginia later in the year scoring 44 points. They beat four ranked teams including a common opponent Nebraska far greater than what Colorado did. Oh and that 5th down “loss” was a non ranked Mizzou. 1. The late clip call on Rockets return, 2. The 5th down gift by the refs, (and he was actually short of the goalline), 3. The share of a national championship with an undefeated team when Colorado had one loss , and really two losses. But you still defend them. I call Bull 🦬
@@flame-sky7148The Citrus bowl has never determined the national champion. You have to explain why an unranked virginia was invited to the sugar bowl instead of Tech. Tech played the 19th ranked team in a secondary bowl game. Colorado already beat that team AT nebraska’s stadium. Colorado were already ranked 1st and beat a true top team in a true championship bowl game, the Orange Bowl. Sad that you don’t respect the tragic loss of life and talent of Sal Aunese. His life was the greatest loss in this story. Rocket Ismail-tech didn’t have 1 player half as talented as the Rocket-has showed that a true champion doesn’t complain and cry like you have here. What a legend.
I speak for all the Georgia Tech fans. Rocket was and still is one of my favorite college players of all time. When he ran this back I was screaming for joy because Colorado's loss meant GT was the outright national champion. Still ticks me off to this day! The flag was thrown late as hell too
I love Coach Mac, but that was stupid to tell Rouen to punt it (over 75 yards) through the uprights. That wasn't worth the risk. It was a clip, but the ref could've overlooked it. Does #17 (Tim James) make the tackle if he wasn't clipped? IdK, but I wouldn't bet my check on that. Thank God they called the clip.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE WORST CALLS IN ALL OF SPORTS. A BRILLIANT, GAME WINNING PUNT RETURN CALLED BACK BY A CLIP THAT NEVER HAPPENED. WATCH THE PLAY IN SLOW MOTION, NO CONTACT WAS MADE. THE ONLY WAY YOU CALL THAT BACK IS IF IT IS BLATANT. ONE REF STANDING BEHIND ROCKET DID NOT THROW FLAG. HE WAS THE CLOSEST ONE TO THE ACTION. ROCKET WAS THE MOST DYNAMIC PLAYER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL. STILL, NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME. ANOTHER JOKE!
That ref should've been banished from ref'ing another game, at any level. If I saw him ref'ing at a Pop Warner game 20yrs later I would've heckled him if not followed him home. Once I had him alone I wouldve made sure I caused him atleast as much pain as he caused me.
To be honest, i think the buffs player probably would have caught him had he not been clipped. Wether or not he (the nd blocker penalized) actually deserved a penalty is another question (although nowadays they wowld have reviewed it for 15 min. Before making a dicision) That being said i still think rocket was the best punt returner of all time and i feel bad that he didnt win (i think he won a title in 1988 though) i just hope they made the right call. But remember, colorado should not have even been there (5th down).......
Rocket being much too hard on himself saying he didn’t know what it was to be a champion after that flag. And that call could’ve easily gone either way. Greg Davis barely made contact, & when you watch the replay, you can see that the Colo player li gets towards Rocket but is NOT propelled forwards, which would be indicative of a clip, he falls to the side, which would mean that Davis got him on the side. Such a tough flag to stomach considering the importance of the game.
I was ten years old when this happened. I still can’t bring myself to watch this.
Watched this live. Was one of the most clutch plays ive ever seen in 40 years of watching sports.
Sad it was ruined.
One of those oh-so-rare players....literally every single time he got the ball in his hands, the entire crowd held its collective breath. Gale Sayers was another one.
I’ll never forget this. I was only 11 years old but it’s so clear. Rocket was a family friend and from my hometown. My living room was packed with family and friends all of us were on our feet screaming. This crushed us but we have so many amazing memories watching this legend play football from the stadium at Meyers to the Raiders. Absolute Legend and great human being.
That run was easily one of the greatest plays I've ever seen. That's the type of stuff which defines the Elite Greats! They can just make a play when it counts the most. I was heartbroken about that lousy penalty.
all I can say is wow, truer words have never been spoken!
The Rocket is still the best!!!!
What a Legend ..a True Champion!
I do not like ND at all, in fact I dislike them very much, bit that was a terrible call. Still have mad respect for Rocket though
That was a questionable call at best. Looked like he caught the side and some of the front on the block. I'm not a ND fan at all, but hate when officials decide games.
It was a legal block, not a clip. He got his helmet in front of the Colorado player.
For the refs to rob a great moment from a great player like that is sickening. Rocket Ismail had done that several times throughout his career. He was not only robbed of that moment, but robbed of the Heisman Trophy that year. The refs should have considered how another group of refs awarded 5 downs to Colorado earlier that year against Mizzou. They should have just picked up the flag for kicking the ball to Rocket in the first place.
Sal Aunese may have been the best QB in the country in 1989 and 1990 yet cancer robbed him of his life. Darian Hagan, the starting QB for Colorado in this game went down injured in the first half. Oh, those lucky Colorado Buffaloes.
Well, the other national champion that year, Georgia Tech had a better record with 11-0-1, while Colorado had a loss and a draw 11-1-1, ( and it should have even been 2 losses with that 5th down). But yes Sal Aunese was special like Tua.
@@flame-sky7148 Tech only had 1 legit NFL player and CU had 15. CU roster had 6 guys who won or played in Super Bowls. Numerous 1st, 2nd, 3rd round picks. CU played 8 teams in the final AP top 25. Tech only played 2. CU went undefeated against 4 of the top 12 teams and Tech only played 1. Tech would have lost to Notre Dame, Miami, and Colorado.
@@Denussy but they didn’t go undefeated, while Georgia Tech went undefeated with a draw. In fact Tech beat the #1 team Virginia later in the year scoring 44 points. They beat four ranked teams including a common opponent Nebraska far greater than what Colorado did. Oh and that 5th down “loss” was a non ranked Mizzou. 1. The late clip call on Rockets return, 2. The 5th down gift by the refs, (and he was actually short of the goalline), 3. The share of a national championship with an undefeated team when Colorado had one loss , and really two losses. But you still defend them. I call Bull 🦬
@@flame-sky7148The Citrus bowl has never determined the national champion. You have to explain why an unranked virginia was invited to the sugar bowl instead of Tech. Tech played the 19th ranked team in a secondary bowl game. Colorado already beat that team AT nebraska’s stadium. Colorado were already ranked 1st and beat a true top team in a true championship bowl game, the Orange Bowl. Sad that you don’t respect the tragic loss of life and talent of Sal Aunese. His life was the greatest loss in this story. Rocket Ismail-tech didn’t have 1 player half as talented as the Rocket-has showed that a true champion doesn’t complain and cry like you have here. What a legend.
I hate Notre Dame but this was an absolutely dreadful call
I speak for all the Georgia Tech fans. Rocket was and still is one of my favorite college players of all time. When he ran this back I was screaming for joy because Colorado's loss meant GT was the outright national champion. Still ticks me off to this day! The flag was thrown late as hell too
Even if he makes the tackle ND would be in great field position.
Remember like it was yesterday.... until this day it was a bad call
Wow well said, I’m a big cu fan but this was well said god bless you
I love Coach Mac, but that was stupid to tell Rouen to punt it (over 75 yards) through the uprights. That wasn't worth the risk. It was a clip, but the ref could've overlooked it. Does #17 (Tim James) make the tackle if he wasn't clipped? IdK, but I wouldn't bet my check on that. Thank God they called the clip.
@@broncobilly4029 It was NOT a clip!
@@lovettblove72 It was if they called it.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE WORST CALLS IN ALL OF SPORTS. A BRILLIANT, GAME WINNING PUNT RETURN CALLED BACK BY A CLIP THAT NEVER HAPPENED. WATCH THE PLAY IN SLOW MOTION, NO CONTACT WAS MADE. THE ONLY WAY YOU CALL THAT BACK IS IF IT IS BLATANT. ONE REF STANDING BEHIND ROCKET DID NOT THROW FLAG. HE WAS THE CLOSEST ONE TO THE ACTION. ROCKET WAS THE MOST DYNAMIC PLAYER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL. STILL, NOT IN THE HALL OF FAME. ANOTHER JOKE!
That ref should've been banished from ref'ing another game, at any level. If I saw him ref'ing at a Pop Warner game 20yrs later I would've heckled him if not followed him home. Once I had him alone I wouldve made sure I caused him atleast as much pain as he caused me.
@@kevinscott9242 Hopefully you’re on a list somewhere
Powerful
The only time I have ever pulled for ND in any game ever. Such a BS call. It was from the side and maybe even a little bit n rhe front.
To be honest, i think the buffs player probably would have caught him had he not been clipped. Wether or not he (the nd blocker penalized) actually deserved a penalty is another question (although nowadays they wowld have reviewed it for 15 min. Before making a dicision) That being said i still think rocket was the best punt returner of all time and i feel bad that he didnt win (i think he won a title in 1988 though) i just hope they made the right call. But remember, colorado should not have even been there (5th down).......
I thought the penalty was for a chop block. I don’t think they showed it. Then again that was 32 years ago. I could be misremembering
You’re misremembering.
Rocket being much too hard on himself saying he didn’t know what it was to be a champion after that flag.
And that call could’ve easily gone either way. Greg Davis barely made contact, & when you watch the replay, you can see that the Colo player li gets towards Rocket but is NOT propelled forwards, which would be indicative of a clip, he falls to the side, which would mean that Davis got him on the side. Such a tough flag to stomach considering the importance of the game.
Huge BS call. One of those calls that you just can't make in a time of the game like that. Stole a NC from ND
Sorry, ND would not have won the national championship at #5. Georgia Tech was the clear #1
Clip
One of the worst calls ever made.