A disputed goal-line sequence during BYU’s win over Arizona State has become the latest officiating controversy involving the Big 12. What was initially ruled a touchdown after a lengthy replay review has now been acknowledged by the conference as an incorrect decision.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
The admission carries added significance because it comes just two weeks after another replay controversy involving BYU. In that instance, the Big 12 later acknowledged officials had mishandled the closing moments of the Cougars’ victory over Notre Dame.
“Replay was incorrect in awarding a score,” the Big 12 said in its statement after the Week 9 Arizona State-BYU game. “The correct ruling should have been BYU ball for a third-and-goal attempt from the two-yard line.”
The sequence began with BYU facing second-and-goal from the Arizona State 1-yard line. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier attempted a quarterback sneak but lost the ball before reaching the forward-progress spot.
RB Sione Moa recovered it at the two-yard line and continued into the end zone. After spending several minutes reviewing the play, officials ruled that BYU had scored.
ASU HC Kenny Dillingham was visibly frustrated with the decision on the Arizona State sideline. The touchdown gave the Cougars a 7-0 lead with 11:27 left in the opening quarter on October 31.
“Rule 12-3-3-d-2 states, ‘If the replay official rules that the ball was not dead,'” Big 12 said in its statement. “‘It belongs to the recovering team at the spot of the recovery, and any advance is nullified.'”
In this case, that meant Moa could be credited with recovering the fumble, but he could not advance it for a touchdown. BYU should have retained possession at the two-yard line and faced third-and-goal.
Because BYU ultimately won by a single possession, the disputed touchdown is likely to face even greater scrutiny. Kenny Dillingham also didn’t hold back against the officials, as his team lost its fourth game of the season.
“Well, the rule is, if the ball is fumbled and the whistle blows, the only way to advance it is a clear and imminent advancement,” Dillingham said after the game. “I would think that’s not a clear and imminent advancement if you have to review it twice.”
The controversy becomes even more notable when viewed alongside another recent Big 12 officiating admission involving BYU.
On October 17, BYU beat the second-ranked Fighting Irish 28-24 in Provo. Notre Dame had moved into position for one final attempt to win the game, but CJ Carr’s incomplete pass to Jaden Greathouse appeared to hit the ground with one second remaining.
The clock expired, and BYU celebrated the victory. The Big 12 later admitted that the ball had hit the ground before time expired and that the replay officials had wrongly ruled the play dead.
Notre Dame should have been given one more chance from BYU’s 8-yard line. The conference said it would conduct a full review of how its officials handled the closing moments of the game.
The Notre Dame incident was not the first time BYU had been caught up in a disputed clock decision. In its 39-31 double-overtime loss to UCF on October 24, officials faced questions over how they handled the clock after a field-goal attempt was blocked.
The Big 12 did not publicly admit to an officiating mistake in that game, though.
Still, it would be too simplistic to conclude Arizona State would have won had the correct ruling been made. BYU would still have had a third-down opportunity from the two-yard line, and the remainder of the game could have unfolded very differently.
What cannot be disputed, however, is that Arizona State was forced to play from behind after a touchdown that the conference has since acknowledged should not have counted.
Arizona State did fight its way back. The Sun Devils erased a 14-point deficit in the third quarter, with quarterback Jake Fette throwing two touchdown passes to level the score at 17-17.
BYU eventually regained control, taking the lead on a 45-yard field goal before Moa scored his second touchdown of the afternoon with 2:09 remaining.
With the victory, BYU improved to 7-1 and remains firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation, though the latest officiating admission is likely to keep debate surrounding the game alive.