THE OFFICIATING CREW that presided over Saturday night’s sensational last-gasp touchdown that gave Miami an unlikely win over Duke have been handed a suspension.
With just six seconds left on the clock, Miami had to get a little crazy to overturn the 27 – 24 deficit facing them, but nobody was prepared for the out and out Sevens Rugby that followed.
The rulings on the field were confirmed after the review, but the Atlantic Conference governing body (ACC) yesterday admitted that the referees and replay officials made four clear errors in the course of the astounding play.
The four buzz-killing problems with the touchdown are as follows:
- Replay official should have overturned ruling that Miami’s Mark Walton had released his lateral pass before his knee touched the turf. The game would have ended there and then had the right call been made.
- The on-field officials erred by failing to penalize Miami for an illegal block in the back at the Miami 16-yard line.
- On a correct decision to confer after calling a block on the Duke 26-yard line, the replay official should have been involved in the communication before the flag was picked up.
- The on-field crew also failed to penalise Miami’s Rashawn Scott for running on to the field before the play ended.
But who could blame him? It was exciting stuff.