Utah’s athletic director, Mark Harlan, was not pleased with the Big 12 officiating crew after their controversial calls during BYU’s 22-21 victory over the Utes. Harlan expressed his frustration at a press conference, stating that the game was “absolutely stolen” from them and that he was disappointed with the officiating.
The game took a dramatic turn during BYU’s winning drive, where the officiating crew made several contentious decisions. BYU quarterback, Jake Retzlaff, appeared to throw an incomplete pass in the end zone on fourth down, but the play was called back due to a timeout called by BYU before the snap. Additionally, a sack made by Utes’ Junior Tafuna and Karene Reid was nullified by a holding penalty on Utes cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn, giving BYU a fresh set of downs.
Despite the controversy, BYU capitalized on the opportunity and marched down the field, setting up a game-winning 44-yard field goal by Will Ferrin with just four seconds left on the clock. This completed BYU’s comeback from an 11-point halftime deficit, with their only offensive touchdown coming in the fourth quarter.
BYU’s head coach, Kalani Sitake, acknowledged the nature of the game and the impact of penalties, stating that holding calls can significantly influence the outcome of a game. Utah’s coach, Kyle Whittingham, echoed Harlan’s sentiments, describing the officiating decisions as “ridiculous.”
Both teams were penalized heavily throughout the game, with each team receiving 10 penalties. Utah accumulated 90 penalty yards, while BYU finished with 67 penalty yards.
The contentious officiating decisions have sparked a debate among fans and analysts, with many questioning the consistency and fairness of the calls made during the game. The aftermath of this game is likely to continue to generate discussions about the role of officiating in college football and the impact it can have on the outcome of games.
