FSU's 'No Catch' Revisited
FSU's Lane Fenner Breaks Decades of Silence, Recalls Controversial 1966 'No Catch' vs. UF
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Lane Fenner, the Florida State wide receiver at the center of one of college football's most disputed plays, has broken decades of silence. Speaking from his home in New Mexico, the now-80-year-old told Tallahassee Democrat that he caught that 45-yard touchdown pass on October 8, 1966 — and that the official who ruled it incomplete was working for the wrong conference. "I was in bounds. It's that simple. It was a touchdown," Fenner said.
The play came with 17 seconds left and FSU trailing Florida 22-19. Field judge Doug Moseley — an SEC official — ruled Fenner out of bounds in the end zone. Florida won 22-19. Photos published the next day by the Tallahassee Democrat appeared to show both of Fenner's feet inside the boundary. The controversy has burned for nearly 60 years.
One Play That Shaped an Entire Rivalry
The 1966 FSU-Florida game was the ninth meeting between the two schools. At the time, Florida State was an independent program — not a member of any conference. Florida was a powerhouse in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The officiating crew was supplied by the SEC, a fact that FSU fans and coaches pointed to immediately after the call. FSU head coach Bill Peterson was furious. His program had no recourse.
The game also had massive stakes beyond the rivalry. Florida quarterback Steve Spurrier went on to win the Heisman Trophy that season. Without the overturned touchdown, FSU would likely have won 25-22 — a result that could have reshuffled the entire Heisman race, according to NoleFan.org. Sports historians now call the 1966 game the moment the FSU-UF matchup turned from a regional game into a "blood feud."
Fenner Says He Was Cheated by an SEC Official
Fenner has never wavered. He told Tallahassee Democrat that Moseley's SEC ties made a fair call impossible. Moseley pushed back for years, insisting the film showed Fenner never had full possession before stepping out. But the photographs told a different story. FSU President T.K. Wetherell — who was on the field during the play — ordered large framed prints of those photos hung in the President's Box at Doak Campbell Stadium in 2003.
The quarterback who threw the pass, Gary Pajcic, died in 2006 — the 40th anniversary of the play — never seeing the controversy fully resolved. Fenner's star teammate Ron Sellers was on the sideline that night, having just had the wind knocked out of him. He watched the call from the sideline and shared in the outrage. Fenner was later drafted 183rd overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 1968 NFL Draft, per Pro Football Reference.
A Reunion Brings Fenner Back After Decades Away
Fenner's re-emergence is tied to a planned reunion of the 1966 FSU team. The Seminoles will host New Mexico State on August 29, 2026 — a game FSU is paying New Mexico State $1.4 million to play, per 247 Sports. Since Fenner now lives in New Mexico, the matchup creates a symbolic homecoming. He plans to return to Tallahassee for the first time in decades.
Getting there will take effort. Fenner told Tallahassee Democrat he now suffers from severe arthritis — one of many long-term physical tolls from his football career. Despite the pain, he says the invitation pulled him back. The play made him a legend in Tallahassee even as he lived 1,500 miles away in relative obscurity. He calls it a story that has never let him go.
The Bigger Question About Conference Officiating
The Fenner case is still cited in debates about how college football handles officiating conflicts of interest. Rules analyst Terry McAulay argued in 2025 that conferences should not oversee their own officiating, calling situations like the Fenner play a "stain on college football," per On3. The SEC has historically stood by its crews and maintained that Moseley made the correct call in 1966.
For FSU fans, the answer has always been clear. The photos have been on the wall at Doak Campbell for more than 20 years. Now, nearly 60 years later, the man in those photos is finally talking — and he has not changed his story one bit.
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