The Denver Gold faced a heartbreaking overtime loss against the Oakland Invaders in a thrilling Week 4 matchup, falling 34-31 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The game, dominated by high-powered offenses, saw Oakland take an early 14-0 lead with two quick touchdown passes from Craig Sundberg to Gordon Banks. However, Denver stormed back in the second quarter with a trio of scores, including two touchdown passes from Bob Gagliano, giving them a 17-14 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Denver extended their lead to 31-14 with Gagliano connecting again with Gill Stegall and Leonard Harris for touchdowns. But the Invaders refused to back down, mounting a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback. Sundberg led Oakland on two consecutive touchdown drives, cutting the deficit to 31-28. A 41-yard field goal by Jess Atkinson with just over a minute left in regulation sent the game into overtime, where Atkinson sealed the victory with a 36-yard field goal.
Despite the loss, Denver’s Gagliano put on an impressive performance, throwing for 505 yards and four touchdowns. Marc Lewis was his primary target, hauling in 12 receptions for 223 yards. Oakland’s John Williams was named MVP for his pivotal role in the Invaders’ rushing attack, amassing 134 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The defeat drops Denver to 2-2 on the season, while Oakland improves to 3-1.
