The Miracle in Michigan: A Game for the Ages
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On September 24, 1994, college football fans were treated to a game that would go down in history as one of the most improbable finishes ever. The No. 7 Colorado Buffaloes traveled to Ann Arbor to face the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines in a classic non-conference showdown. The game lived up to the hype, a tense, back-and-forth affair that saw momentum swing wildly.
Colorado 1994 Miracle 25 Sep 1994, Sun The Bellingham Herald (Bellingham, Washington) Newspapers.com
With just six seconds left on the clock, Michigan led 26-21. The Buffaloes, facing a 4th and 15 from their own 36-yard line, were out of timeouts. Their last hope rested on the arm of quarterback Kordell Stewart, who had already engineered a masterful comeback to get them within striking distance. As the clock ticked down, Stewart took the snap and unleashed a deep, desperation heave. The ball sailed through the air, an agonizingly long journey as players from both teams scrambled beneath it.
What happened next became known simply as “The Miracle in Michigan.” The pass traveled more than 60 yards in the air, a “Hail Mary” that seemed destined to fall harmlessly to the turf. Instead, it was tipped by Michael Westbrook into the hands of a waiting teammate, who caught it for a touchdown. Wait, no, that’s not right. The ball was actually tipped by Michigan’s defense and caught by Colorado’s Michael Westbrook in the end zone as time expired. The final score was Colorado 27, Michigan 26, a victory snatched from the jaws of defeat in a moment of pure, unscripted magic. The play remains a staple of college football highlights, a testament to the unpredictable nature of the sport.
