Chuck Long's most memorable moment, Iowa's most memorable season, and just a great freaking football game. Thank you.

When you consider how we lost to Michigan State the year before, Chuck Long's naked bootleg was poetic justice. One year prior he was "stopped" just short of the goal line on a two point covnersion attempt and Iowa "lost" 17-16 and knock us out of Rose Bowl contention. Rumor has it Hayden Fry had a photo in his office taken from the sideline that clearly showed Chuck Long crossed the plane of the goal line.

I remember this game well, one of my favorites ever. I was a Michigan State fan living on the east coast and somehow they were on TV. I expected the Spartans to get blown out, but this was the game where we discovered that we had BobbyMcCallister, Lorenzo White and Andre Rison. This foreshadowed their Rose Bowl win a couple of years later.

One of the greatest college football games of all time, and I say that as a Spartan alum.

I was there!! 10 years old! Southwest stands! thanks for posting this

I was there! Just one of several memorable games that fall. Iowa won the game, but Michigan State showed how to beat them. Misdirection and counter plays. UCLA obviously studied this game throroughly and took copious notes. Eric Ball ran all over the Hawkeyes in the Rose bowl with many of the same plays.

Given that MSU had stopped a QB run (with blockers) the year before to give Iowa a loss and keep them out of the Rose Bowl, it's either a really smart call or just downright ballsy. It's about the last play they'd expect. Two tight ends, two blocking backs and the tailback, and when Harmon goes up over the top of the line look at all the defenders.

One of the best Hawkeye teams of all time

I need to watch Iowa beating Michigan State today. Didn't know I would need to go back 28 years...

Thank you so much for the info.

Most of that MSU Team went on to win a Rose Bowl a few years later. Wish Chuck Long could have led the Detroit Lions to something but can't hold at against him, no one else has had any luck with that task either.

I remember the Gazette saying Long was the only man in Johnson County who knew Harmon didn't have the ball. Well, him and Fry anyway.

And what tops it all is Perles's "Goddammit!" after the conversion.

You know, I've got to be honest. I was a very small child when this game was played, but my parents had season tickets in the early 80s and were at this game. My dad's favorite memory from that time is Long's naked boot. This is the first time I've actually seen the play and to be completely, totally honest, that's probably the dumbest play to call in that situation. But that being said, it was Fry and he had a sixth sense for that stuff. On Iowa!! 2011 is Back in Black!

Chuck Long was the only man in Johnson County that knew Ronnie Harmon didn't have the football...well him and Hayden Fry!

At 1:03, Chuck Long most definitely made it into the end zone on that two-point conversion. [Shakes fist at referees from 36 years ago.]

I was at this game I was down low in the stands behind the endzone long scored the bootleg on. I was faked out by the hand off and saw nothing but a sea of MSU players clogging the area the the would be runner was going. Then out of nowhere, over the sea of jersey's, i see a football being carried high in the air. I was like holysh**!! Don't drop the ball Chuck!

Happy birthday Hayden

He went on to become Kirk Ferentz's DC, who just retired after last season.

Wait a minute, how did this MSU-Iowa series play in Iowa City two years in a row? (The '84 replay of the game was also in Iowa City)

Yeah, Norm wasn't the DC there until 1990.

Which #1 got upset that got Iowa the top ranking?

@TheHawkeyeHistorian Wasn't Nick Saban the defensive coodinator under Perles at that time and Norm Parker the linebackers coach?

Wish CBS would air Big Ten games today instead of the overhyped SEC.

Pardon my ignorance, what is the importance of Norm Parker?