Worst Call in CFB History

[MNIrishman]

I wanted to see what everyone thought the worst call in college football history was, since it's the offseason and we need more FOOSBALL, BOBBY BOUCHER, FOOSBALL! going on. Honestly, I think the worst is this call in the 2006 Oklahoma-Oregon game:

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The second worst I can think of is the 2007 ND-Stanford game David Grimes catch:

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Another really awful call was in the 2013 Outback Bowl (2 mins 30 sec into video):
Highlights: Outback Bowl - Michigan vs. South Carolina (HD), 2013 - YouTube

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Of course, Clowney got some justice against the Skunks for that blatant ref carnage. What are some other awful calls you can think of?

(I did a search for this topic and didn't see one; if one exists and a mod wants to merge, feel free)

 

[STLDomer]

5th Down - Colorado and Mizzou

 

[MNIrishman]

5th Down - Colorado and Mizzou

Can you throw down a video? I'm not familiar with that play.

 

[BGIF]

The 5th down was an error, they simply lost count.

November 28th, 1964 was Grand Larceny in The Coliseum.

Undefeated ND had a 17 -0 halftime lead over the Trojans but a couple, not one, controversial and phantom calls secured a 20-17 theft for the homies.

 

[IrishInFl]

5th Down - Colorado and Mizzou

It really should be worst non-call, but I fail to see how it's anything but this.

 

[Bishop2b5]

1983 Bama-Penn St. game. PSU kicked our butts for 3 quarters and led 34-7. In the 4th, we came roaring back, scoring 3 quick td's and were inside the PSU 5 with a few seconds left in the game. Walter Lewis threw what appeared to be the winning td to a receiver in the back of the end zone, but the official ruled it incomplete. It wasn't even close. The Bama receiver had the ball tucked into his chest with full possession of it, and came down almost a yard in bounds before he fell backwards out of the end zone. The head of the officiating crew was a former PSU player whose nephew was on the team. The call was so blatantly bad that even some of the PSU fans booed it, the announcers watching the replay said it was definitely a td, and Paterno himself said it was a bad call and apologized to Bama's HC.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Hate to defend the Skunks, but the 79 Rose Bowl has to be up there. They even have a huge mural of the "phantom touchdown" in their Hall of Champions:

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

The "clip" called against ND on Rocket's return against Colorado.

 

[Irish#1]

5th Down - Colorado and Mizzou

Can you throw down a video? I'm not familiar with that play.

I remember that one. Probably the biggest hose job ever.

 

[BeauBenken]

Can you throw down a video? I'm not familiar with that play.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wuGlPG6Vie4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[TheTurningPoint]

Easy.

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[Irish#1]

Easy.

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Who made that clip, OSU fans? lol

I remember that one as well. I didn't want Miami to win, but I can see a case being made for a penalty.

 

[yankeeND]

Personally, I would go with the block I the back call on Rocket's punt return against Colorado, but that's just the homer in me. I like when my team wins national championships and when referees don't take them away from me lol.

 

[kmoose]

The "clip" called against ND on Rocket's return against Colorado.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sqC_Br3cDJg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Wild Bill]

The clip. Awful. Hurts my soul.

 

[Ultimate Penn St. Hater]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sqC_Br3cDJg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Still kills me.

 

[ulukinatme]

Gotta go with the 2005 game against USC. The no call on the push, and the PAC-12 ref's response to it...slap in the face imo. Plus, USC was trying to call a time out with 7 seconds left and they had none left. Rules say that's a delay of game penalty that would have pushed them back 5 yards.

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Gotta go with the 2005 game against USC. The no call on the push, and the PAC-12 ref's response to it...slap in the face imo. Plus, USC was trying to call a time out with 7 seconds left and they had none left. Rules say that's a delay of game penalty that would have pushed them back 5 yards.

This.

Was it the 2009 ND @ Michigan game that had all of the questionable calls? The TD called back for being out of bounds, the delay of game that wasn't called, etc? I felt one of those games was just blatant B1G bias from the refs.

 

[Black Irish]

The "clip" called against ND on Rocket's return against Colorado.

My first experience with being totally gut-punched as a ND fan. My dad was recording the game, and I remembering us watching that play over and over like it was the Zapruder Film.

 

[Irishman77]

5th down always gets my vote. The moment was as big as it could be in the ohio st / Miami game, but passing interference is a common bad call. Allowing 5 downs is simply mind boggling

 

[arrowryan]

I hate when teams win off of bull shit. I don't even like these teams and it made me mad

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[connor_in]

You guys seem to be matching up with pretty well with this random guy from youtube

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gcTG1wGHYW4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[nlroma1o]

One of the worst officiating blunders in recent memory, was the PAC12 refs completely fuking over Wisconsin last year at the end of the game versus Arizona State. That was one of the worst of all time. Those officials should have lost their jobs.

 

[nlroma1o]

I hate when teams win off of bull shit. I don't even like these teams and it made me mad

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/JQmNYPOgx40" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

haha i was literally writing my post when you wrote yours. I felt ill when watching that. It was just so blatant

 

[connor_in]

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[Irishman77]

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Dude I change my mind! That is the worst call in any sport ever! ,!,,,

 

[irishtrooper]

Bush Push, Little Giants vs MSU, 5th down and the Clip

 

[IrishLax]

1983 Bama-Penn St. game. PSU kicked our butts for 3 quarters and led 34-7. In the 4th, we came roaring back, scoring 3 quick td's and were inside the PSU 5 with a few seconds left in the game. Walter Lewis threw what appeared to be the winning td to a receiver in the back of the end zone, but the official ruled it incomplete. It wasn't even close. The Bama receiver had the ball tucked into his chest with full possession of it, and came down almost a yard in bounds before he fell backwards out of the end zone. The head of the officiating crew was a former PSU player whose nephew was on the team. The call was so blatantly bad that even some of the PSU fans booed it, the announcers watching the replay said it was definitely a td, and Paterno himself said it was a bad call and apologized to Bama's HC.

I absolutely hate shit like this. It's infuriating and only a problem with how our college officiating is setup... they basically don't screen people for bias. They do a little, but not much. Also, when they first put in replay, there was a serious issue with very large number of replay officials being "homers" that just lived near the school.

As ND fans, we're very familiar with the "stolen" game against bought off/biased Big Ten or PAC12 officials. That David Grimes catch being OVERTURNED by a bunch of salty Stanford alums was the most absurd thing I have ever seen happen live. There was absolutely no basis to rule that not a catch... no video evidence whatsoever.

 

[Riddickulous]

This.

Was it the 2009 ND @ Michigan game that had all of the questionable calls? The TD called back for being out of bounds, the delay of game that wasn't called, etc? I felt one of those games was just blatant B1G bias from the refs.

Yes. Lots of missed PI calls that day.

 

[irishog77]

The Oregon-Oklahoma was atrocious. And to add insult to injury, the officials then botched another call on Oregon's ensuing drive. A ball was tipped by an Oklahoma defender, yet there was a PI call made against them. That play too was reviewed. While the replay didn't clearly show a Sooner tipping the ball, the ball clearly changed trajectory. Like it was going along at 90 degree angle...then suddenly switched to a 30 degree angle. It was obvious during live motion the ball was tipped. Then under review, it was obvious the ball was tipped, just not who tipped it. Oregon went on to win the game and then the refs were suspended by the Pac-10.

That was also the year osu finished with 1-loss, then several teams finished with 2. Oklahoma was one that finished with 2. They even beat the number 1 ranked team in the BCS (Missouri) by like 20-something points in the conference championship game, on a neutral field. It was their 2nd victory of Missouri that year, Oklahoma being the only team Missouri lost to that year. lsu beat like 13-17th ranked utjr by only 10, on a neutral field. lsu gets the vote to play osu for the bcs title. Oklahoma got royally screwed by that Oregon game and voters at the end of the year.


That call(s) and the Miami PI in the Fiesta Bowl title game were the worst calls I've ever seen, live on TV. The 5 downs was bad too, but I didn't actually watch that game. I think there was another 5th down granted to a team a few years ago as well. Anybody remember who that was? Or am I making that up?

The Oklahoma-Oregon call(s), the Miami PI, and the Colorado 5th down weren't just terrible calls, but they also all legitimately cost or boosted a team to a national title. (I think Oklahoma would've assuredly gotten to the title game, and then beat osu as handily, if not more so, than lsu did)