“After a thorough review and evaluation of the entire Central Michigan at Oklahoma State contest, we have made a decision to suspend the officiating crew for the next two consecutive weeks”, Bill Carollo, coordinator of football officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium, said in a statement.
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“It’s a waste of time talking about it”, he said Monday on the Big 12 coaches’ teleconference. We’re playing a school that does not want to use our officials, you move on and find another school. In 2011, Toledo lost a game at Syracuse when the Orange appeared to miss an extra point, but the Big East officials and replay ruled the kick went through the uprights. Neither one of those things will happen. “You’re likely to have in the command center someone similar who’s in the replay booth”.
From there, have a “rulebook nerd” in the booth, or in the host conference offices or even in Indianapolis with the NCAA – much like the Major League Baseball does – who enforces the rulebook. The Oklahoma State Cowboys play the Pitt Panthers on Saturday. “Can we fact-check this, please?”
“We have a 10-minute review on whether it’s a first down or not”, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. If you’re an official, then it’s a no-brainer.
“In this case, there’s nothing that can be done, there’s not a rule in place that addresses it”, he said.
Cowboys coach Mike Gundy did not realize officials got the call wrong until reporters informed him at his postgame news conference. “I don’t why this wouldn’t be any different”.
“I don’t know where you draw the line on that”, Steinbrecher said.
Before college football officiating became more scrutinized by gentlemen like Big 12 coordinator Walt Anderson, it was common to see dubious arrangements, where conference and even school affiliations were overlooked.
Central Michigan went on to win the game 30-27 on a Hail Mary turned hook-and-ladder play. Against other Power 5 schools, you exchange refs (in nonconference play).
“When I’m involved in a game like that, that’s something that will come across my mind 500 times if I live long enough”, he said.
The “Hail Mary Lateral” – a miracle finish that never should have occurred – became the early frontrunner for play of the season and a touchstone for officiating critics everywhere. This already is protocol for CFP games and would align the most evaluated (and presumably most skilled) crews to the highest-profile games.
What happened Saturday in Stillwater was atypical. Nothing is fool-proof, but it’s better than the alternative. “I was on the rules committee when we brought in instant replay”.
Those are questions Gundy will get for the rest of his life.
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It’s also a great opportunity to fix the problem. “We can’t wait to get back out there again”.
