Referees Admit to Blown Extra Point Call That Cost Toledo the Game Against Syracuse

Syracuse should have lost yesterday. Usually, when you complain about a play that cost a team a game, you never really know how things would have gone.During yesterday’s Syracuse – Toledo game, you do. Syracuse’s kicker hooked an extra point left late in the game. It was as clear a miss as can be. Somehow, the officials reviewed the play and “confirmed” the ball went through the uprights. Indefensible. Today the Big East issued the following statement, per CBS Sports:

“After studying the videos of the Syracuse extra point attempt at 2:07 of the fourth quarter, we have concluded that the ruling on the field that the kick passed between the uprights was incorrect, and that the replay official made an error in failing to reverse that ruling.  In reviewing the video, we have determined that the angle from behind the kicking team shows conclusively that the ball passes outside the right upright.

Our review of the process determined that the replay official mistakenly focused his attention on the sideline angle, which proved to be distorted. We are confident that our officiating staff will learn from this situation in order to prevent a reoccurrence. “

Yes. Let’s hope the officials learn from this. This is a great opportunity for learning. And gambling. It looks like most sports books had Syracuse as a 2 or 2.5 point favorite yesterday.