Top 15 Football Miracles

The Catch (Canadian Style)

Ottawa Rough Riders vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders, Grey Cup Championship, November 28, 1976

For football fans north of the 49^th parallel, "The Catch" happened more than five years before Joe Montana's famous pass to Dwight Clark.

The 1976 Grey Cup Final was the third to feature the Roughriders (one word) of Saskatchewan against the Rough Riders (two words) of Ottawa. And, by many accounts, it was one of the most enthralling Grey Cup games in Canadian football history.

A goal-line stand with two minutes remaining preserved Saskatchewan's four-point lead and kept Ottawa's offense from scoring its first touchdown. Saskatchewan took possession of the ball late in the game. But the Rough Riders (two words) defense held, and Ottawa got the ball back with little time remaining. With 20 seconds on the clock, Ottawa quarterback Tom Clements found receiver Tony Gabriel in the corner of the end zone for the winning touchdown.