September 24th 2024.
When I spoke to iconic former CU wide receiver, Michael Westbrook, on the phone Monday, he shared his thoughts on the recent Mile High Miracle, also known as the Baylor Blessing, in the Buffs' wild overtime win this past weekend. Comparing it to his own famous catch, the Miracle at Michigan, which turns 30 on Tuesday, Westbrook told me, "Our Hail Mary won the game. Theirs prevented them from losing the game. Ours was a game-changer."
Westbrook chuckled as he said, "You have to remember who you're talking to. I'm still Michael Westbrook. I'm still going to talk smack, even though they're my Buffs." He also expressed his love for the current 3-1 Buffs, especially wide receiver LaJohntay Wester's incredible sliding catch in the rain that brought Folsom Field to its feet and had fans scrambling back to their seats as time expired.
As Westbrook continued to compare the two miraculous catches, he noted the stark contrast between the two plays. "Kordell [Stewart] had all the time in the world to make his throw," he explained. "Meanwhile, Shedeur [Sanders] was getting tackled as he released the ball. It was a completely different situation. And while I was waiting in the end zone with my 43-inch vertical, Shedeur was throwing a difficult pass. Our play was definitely more skilled from their perspective."
But despite the differences between the two plays, Westbrook couldn't help but marvel at the similarities. "Two similar touchdowns, with the last one happening just three days shy of the 30th anniversary of the first? It's almost like the football gods have a sense of humor," he joked.
Reflecting on the impact of these miraculous catches, Westbrook said, "It's a huge blessing to have been a part of something like that. And to have something similar happen years later? It's almost surreal. My last name is Westbrook, and LaJohntay's is Wester. It's almost like poetry."
Meanwhile, as Sanders threw the Hail Mary, Stewart watched from home, gripping a pitching wedge nervously. "It was one of those 'moments'," the former Buffs QB told me. "I couldn't believe it. The broadcast had just shown my Hail Mary pass from 1994, and then Shedeur throws his. It's almost like history repeating itself. I didn't jump up in excitement, I just had a moment of disbelief and remembered how it felt for us back in 1994."
He added, "It was pandemonium. It was chaos. It was glorious."
Westbrook also couldn't help but reminisce about his own Hail Mary in 1994, which is still considered one of the wildest endings in college football history. "There are no flags on the field," legendary commentator Keith Jackson said at the time. "Only despair for the Maize and Blue." Westbrook noted the stark contrast between the reactions to the two catches, with his own causing an explosion of noise and excitement, while Wester's was met with complete and utter silence.
But despite the awe-inspiring nature of these catches, Westbrook believes that his own Hail Mary will always hold a special place in football history. "The one thing I was jealous of was the reaction to LaJohntay's catch," he admitted. "It was complete silence, whereas ours was deafening. But I was proud and happy for them. And in the grand scheme of things, their play may have been better, but it will never top the impact of our Hail Mary."
Westbrook also reflected on another memorable Hail Mary in 1993, when he tipped a catch to teammate Charles Johnson just before halftime against Baylor. "That was a great play," he recalled. "But in the end, it was just another game. This recent Hail Mary, on the other hand, was on the road, with 100,000 fans against us, and we overcame 10 penalties to come back and win. It was a true miracle."
In the end, while the two Hail Mary catches may have had their differences, they will always hold a special place in football history. As Westbrook put it, "They may have had the better play, but we had the better moment."
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