Big Ten Admits Officiating Error in UCLA's Victory Over Oregon

The Big Ten Conference has acknowledged a significant officiating error that occurred during Saturday's football game between UCLA and Oregon, a mistake that potentially impacted the outcome of the closely contested match. The error involved the spotting of a penalty during a pivotal two-point conversion attempt by Oregon late in the fourth quarter.

Oregon was attempting to tie the game with 2:16 remaining when UCLA linebacker Sammy Omosigho was flagged for a facemask penalty on a run by Oregon quarterback Brock Thomas. The play had advanced the ball to the 1-yard line. According to the Big Ten's statement on Sunday, officials incorrectly marked off the penalty from the original line of scrimmage, rather than from the end of the run as dictated by the rules. This error gave Oregon a second attempt from the 1½-yard line instead of a closer proximity to the goal line.

On the subsequent attempt, Oregon running back Jordon Davison was stopped short of the end zone by UCLA defensive tackle Tyson Ford. Had the penalty been spotted correctly, Oregon would have needed only half a yard to score.

"The Big Ten has been in contact with its officiating team from Saturday’s game regarding the error and will continue to emphasize consistent application of the playing rules," the conference said in a statement. The admission, however, does not alter the game's result, which saw UCLA secure a 17-15 victory.

The Bruins' win marked their first over Oregon at Autzen Stadium since 2004 and propelled UCLA to No. 12 in the Associated Press rankings. The final play of the game involved an Oregon pass that was lateraled and eventually fumbled, with UCLA recovering to seal the victory.

This officiating miscue was not the only notable incident from the game. Replays also suggested that Oregon defensive tackle Bear Alexander may have delivered a punch to UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava's helmet after a tackle in the second quarter. Iamaleava sustained a leg injury on the play, leaving the game briefly before departing permanently and being replaced by backup Ty Dieffenbach. UCLA coach Bob Chesney did not provide an update on Iamaleava's condition following the game.