Editor's Note: The following was written by George Wine. It appears in the book, Black & Gold Memories," published by the UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics in 2003.

It’s been exactly 50 years since the Hawkeyes pulled the biggest heist in their football history.

In 1949, Oregon came into what was then called Iowa Stadium as the defending co-champion of the Pacific Coast Conference (now the Pac-10). The Ducks had a 4-2 record and a high scoring team that averaged 28 points a game, and late in the third quarter they had nearly reached that total.

Things didn’t look good for the Hawkeyes, who trailed by 18 points. They had not played with much efficiency and enthusiasm and their fans were getting restless. Iowa, with a 3-2 record, had been expected to give their west coast visitors a better battle.

The Hawkeyes had scored first but Oregon dominated after that, and with 2:30 left in the third quarter the Ducks were in control, 24-6. The only thing seemingly in doubt was the final margin.

But if anyone in the crowd of 37,976 headed home early that day, they surely regretted it. In the next 11 minutes Iowa exploded for four touchdowns – including kick returns of 94 and 99 yards – then preserved its improbable comeback by stopping Oregon at the goal line as the game ended.

The final score was 34-31, and the good guys won. No Iowa team before or since has overcome a greater margin.

Things looked grim late in the third quarter as Bob Longley gathered in an Oregon punt at his six-yard line, but he sidestepped a couple of tacklers, got some good blocking and ran 94 yards for an Iowa touchdown.

When halfback Jerry Faske and Jack Dittmer connected on a 21-yard scoring pass with 12 minutes remaining, the Hawkeyes had reduced the margin to 24-20 and the crowd was urging them on.

The momentum had changed, but Oregon go it back when John McKay ran 37 yards for a n Oregon touchdown that gave the visitors a 31-20 advantage. (McKay later coached with great success at Southern California, where O.J. Simpson was one of his star players.)

Bill Reichardt ignited the crowd by returning the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for an Iowa TD. Oregon again was clinging to a four-point lead, 31-27.

When Oregon gave up the ball on downs, the Hawkeyes drove the field and sent Reichardt over the goal line for the go-ahead score. Iowa finally had the lead, 34-31, and the crowd was in a frenzy, but there were nearly six minutes remaining in the game.

Oregon sustained a long march that produced a first down inside the five-yard line. The ducks had four shots to score the winning TD, but the Hawkeyes refused to let them cross the goal line, preserving a thrilling come-from-behind victory.

One of the radio announcers describing that game to his KCRG audience was 23-year-old Bob Brooks, who is still part of the broadcast crew for Hawkeye Football and basketball. He has probably witnessed more Iowa games than anyone, and he has vivid memories of the great comeback of 1949.

"The Hawkeyes had just beaten a good Northwestern team by coming from behind late in the game," recalls Brooks. "But they played a bad first half against Oregon and the fans were grumbling. And things didn’t get any better until Longley shook loose on that punt return. That really sparked the team and excited the crowd."

Iowa football had a different look 50 years ago. The players were smaller in stature and the squad was smaller in number. Only two players on the 59-man roster weighed more than 220 pounds. It was one-platoon football with players going both ways. There was no specialization. Freshmen were not eligible.

The squad was mostly Iowans, with only 13 players from out of state. Longley was from Davenport, Reichardt from Iowa City and Dittmer (who later had a long career in major league baseball) was from Elkader. The kick returns by Longley and Reichardt were both school records at the time.

"Reichardt was named the most valuable player in the Big Ten in 1951," reminds Brooks. "He had some great performances during his Iowa career, but the Oregon game of 1949 was probably his best." Reichardt scored three touchdowns that day and kicked all the extra points.

Other noticeable differences in Iowa football 50 years ago were ticket prices ($3.50), stadium capacity (53,000) and racial balance (the only black players were Earl Banks, Harold Bradley, Don Commmack and Don Riley.)

Iowa had a peculiar schedule in 1949. Oregon was the last of four consecutive home games in November, all on the road, and lost them all.

Eddie Anderson, who had produced the legendary Ironmen 10 years earlier, resigned as head coach when the season ended. Fifty years later, his last victory at Iowa still stands as the greatest comeback in school history.