Big 12 Admits Error in Controversial Finish to BYU-Notre Dame Game
Conference acknowledges one second should have been restored to the clock, which could have given Notre Dame another play.
The Big 12 Conference issued a statement Sunday morning admitting that time should have been restored to the clock during the final play of Saturday night's game between No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 8 BYU. The statement acknowledged that the replay officiating crew incorrectly cleared the play when the ball hit the ground, despite time remaining on the clock.
BYU secured a 28-24 victory over Notre Dame in Provo, handing the Fighting Irish their first loss of the season. However, the game's conclusion was marred by controversy. On what proved to be the final play, a first-and-goal pass from quarterback CJ Carr fell incomplete in the end zone. Officials briefly conferred before signaling the end of the game, leading to a field storm by BYU fans.
Adding to the controversy, BYU appeared to commit defensive pass interference on the play. ESPN/ABC rules analyst Matt Austin stated that the contact warranted a flag and that he would have supported a pass interference call. If interference had been called, Notre Dame would have been granted another offensive down.
The Big 12 stated that it will conduct a comprehensive review of its end-of-game officiating procedures before upcoming games.
This incident echoes a similar controversy at the beginning of the season when Michigan was erroneously granted an extra second against Western Michigan, allowing them to complete a game-winning Hail Mary pass. The current season has seen significant upsets, with five of the top seven teams in the AP Top 25 poll losing on Saturday, including No. 1 Georgia to Auburn, No. 5 Indiana to Ohio State, No. 6 Alabama to Tennessee, and No. 7 Texas to Florida.