California Memorial Stadium was rocking, and it was still hours before kickoff.
 
Cal quarterback Eric Anderson could feel the ground trembling beneath him, but this was no earthquake.
 
Anderson and his teammates came out of the North Tunnel for pregame warmups prior to the big matchup between the Golden Bears and No. 4 USC on Nov. 1, 1975 to see an already near-full stadium of raucous fans in Strawberry Canyon charged up for what became a memorable day in Cal football history.
 
"We went out before the game to warm up and usually the stadium is about half-full at that time, but that day it was almost already completely full," Anderson said. "The student section did a California spell out. It was so loud, we stopped warming up and looked up at the stands. You could feel the ground tremble because the crowd was so into it already. That got us fired up."
 
The motivation and support from the Golden Bear faithful played a role, but it was the leadership and efforts of quarterback Joe Roth that led the way to a 28-14 upset victory over the Trojans that day.
 
Roth, running back Chuck Muncie and the Bears put up 477 yards of offense against a USC defense that featured multiple future NFL Pro Bowl defenders.


 
Duane Williams, Cal's center on that '75 team, said despite being underdogs against a USC team filled with elite talent, nobody in the blue and gold was doubting their chances of winning.
 
Roth instilled that type of consistent confidence in the locker room.
 
"They were the big kingpins and it was tough to beat USC," Williams said. "But the fans knew we were a special team during a special time with all the hype of it being a national TV game. I still get chills just thinking about the game. The fans were incredible that day. The game defined Joe Roth, as well. There were a lot of moments filled with pressure in that game and he showed the adversity to get through it. He handled it perfectly."
 
Roth was responsible for three of Cal's four touchdowns, completing 19-of-31 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns (Wesley Walker and George Freitas). With the score tied at 14 and 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Roth scored the eventual game-winning touchdown on a one-yard run. Muncie rushed 18 times for 143 yards, averaging 7.9 yards per carry.


 
Anderson said he'll never forget how lively the campus was following the game. He remembers Roth, who normally lived more of a private lifestyle and rarely went out after home games, joining his teammates and the fans in celebrating in Berkeley that night.
 
Roth led the Bears to a co-Pac-8 championship in 1975. The Bears ended their 8-3 campaign with a No. 14 national ranking, 2,522 passing yards and 2,774 rushing yards, ranking No. 1 in the nation in total offense.
 
Shortly after graduating from Cal in 1977, Roth passed away from melanoma, much to the shock of most Cal fans, and even some of his teammates, as Roth kept his battle with cancer to himself. His number was retired the next time USC came to Berkeley in 1977, another Cal win.


 
In addition to his jersey being retired, Saturday also marks the annual Joe Roth Game, as is the case every year when USC or UCLA come to Berkeley.
 
"He was that remarkable of a player," Anderson said about having a game dedicated to Roth. "He would have been a first-round NFL draft pick, and he was an even better human being. He affected so many lives. He loved the Bears. He was all-in as a Cal guy. What amazes me is what the guys who spent three weeks with him at the Senior Bowl, Hula Bowl and the Japan Bowl said about him. They named their sons after Joe."
 
Williams, who met Roth when they went through the recruiting process, was one of the players who was lucky enough to join him in those postseason all-star games. He was also a member of the committee that named the MVP of the Japan Bowl after Roth. He saw firsthand what Roth was going through in fighting his illness, while still putting on a show on the field and delighting the fans by signing every autograph possible.
 
"I knew that he was dealing with his cancer, but no one else did outside of the doctors, coaching staff and his close friends," Williams said. "It was amazing how he handled it all. I never once heard him complain about his circumstances. Joe stands for what a good life is all about. A true winner who defines courage. There was nothing negative about Joe Roth. He was a very quiet and stoic guy, not too many other guys like him. He was such a great athlete and a great person. He was the leader and he didn't have to say it. He led by example. I have never met another guy like him."