WATCH: Former USC WR Erik Affholter Talks "The Catch"
Where Are They Now?
Today marks the 90th time that the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins will play one another in the crosstown rivalry series. In honor of game day, it's only natural to reminisce on one of the greatest UCLA vs USC game endings of all time.
Erik Affholter a wide receiver for the USC Trojans is famously known around the Trojan community for "The Catch".
It was 1987, as the Trojans welcomed the UCLA Bruins to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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It wasn't a high scoring game, but what fans remember to this day was Rodney Peete and Erik Affholter's final drive towards the end. Late in the fourth quarter as the Trojans offense took the field on the line of scrimmage, USC QB Rodney Peete dropped back and found wideout Erik Affholter who escaped a few tacklers for a USC touchdown.
Final Score: USC 17- UCLA 13
As Affholter made it into the end zone, the USC crowd went wild.
To this day, fans remember this game against Troy Aikman's UCLA Bruins, because of the fact that this game pushed the Trojans into the Jan 1st, Rose Bowl match up.
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SI All Trojans caught up with Affholter to see what he's been up to since his football career ended. Following his time at USC, Affholter was taken in the 1989 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins to play in the big leagues.
Recently, Affholter has written a book called "America's Miracle" which details how race, creed and color vanish in the college football setting.
The first page of Affholter's book writes,
"For 150 years young men have waged war on each other for the entertainment of fans, student body, and alumni, creating the greatest spectacle on earth which is College Football. 20 years of playing and 25 years of coaching football has allowed me to see AMERICA in a unique way through the eyes of a player and a coach on the field looking up at 100,000 fans of all colors, all creeds, all religions, ALL LOVING the moment and LOVING each other. America is the Worlds gem and College Football is AMERICAS gift to the World. College Football is AMERICA's MIRACLE, where race, creed, and color vanishes and LOVE reigns."
America's Miracle is out TODAY! Click HERE to read a copy.
TO WATCH: Erik Affholter discuss "The Catch" and his new book "America's Miracle" click the video above.
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