The Big 12 Conference has owned up to a significant officiating mistake that may have altered the outcome of Saturday’s clash between No. 8 BYU and Arizona State, admitting that replay officials incorrectly awarded the Cougars a touchdown in their 27-20 victory.
In a statement first reported by ESPN’s Max Olson, the conference addressed the controversial first-quarter play: “Replay was incorrect in awarding a score. The correct ruling should have been BYU ball for a third-and-goal from the 2-yard line.”
The critical error occurred on a second-and-goal play from Arizona State’s 1-yard line. BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier fumbled the ball during the scoring attempt, and Cougars running back Sione Moa recovered the loose ball at the 2-yard line before advancing it into the end zone.
Under the circumstances, officials should have stopped the play at the point of recovery. College football’s Rule 12-3-3-d-2 explicitly states that if replay determines the ball was not dead, “it belongs to the recovering team at the spot of the recovery and any advance is nullified.”
Multiple Reviews Still Led to Wrong Call
What makes the mistake particularly glaring is that replay officials examined the play multiple times before ultimately reaching the incorrect decision. Despite the thorough review process designed to catch such errors, the crew still awarded BYU the touchdown that should have been nullified.
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham demonstrated his grasp of the rulebook in real time, arguing forcefully with officials on the sideline. His protests fell on deaf ears during the game, but his post-game comments showed he knew exactly what the correct call should have been.
“I was trying to argue that he does have the right to recover it post-whistle, but that’s not a clear advancement, which means the ball should be at the 3,” Dillingham explained after the loss. “Obviously, that wasn’t what happened. It’s not the officials’ fault. Those officials don’t have say in that. That’s all back home.”
Dillingham’s reference to decisions being made “back home” pointed to the replay booth officials who reviewed the play remotely rather than the on-field crew who couldn’t override the replay determination.
Seven-Point Swing in One-Touchdown Game
The timing and magnitude of the error cannot be overstated. In a game decided by exactly seven points, the difference between a touchdown and third-and-goal from the 2-yard line is potentially game-changing. While BYU might have scored on the subsequent play had the call been correct, there’s no guarantee they would have converted from that distance.
For Arizona State, the blown call severely damaged their chances of pulling off an upset over the eighth-ranked team in the nation. The Sun Devils had entered the game as underdogs but kept the contest competitive throughout, making the officiating error all the more consequential to their hopes.
The mistake also potentially saved BYU from what would have been back-to-back losses to unranked opponents, preserving their position in the top ten of the national rankings and keeping their conference championship aspirations alive.
Another Black Eye for Big 12 Officiating
The conference’s admission comes during what has been a troubled season for Big 12 officiating overall. Saturday’s error represents just the latest in a series of controversial calls and missed rulings that have drawn criticism from coaches, players, and fans across the conference.
While the Big 12’s willingness to publicly acknowledge the mistake demonstrates a level of transparency, the admission does nothing to change the final score or standings. Arizona State must accept the loss despite being on the wrong end of an admitted error that directly impacted the outcome.
For BYU, the victory stands in the record books, but it now carries an asterisk in the court of public opinion. The Cougars benefited from an error that the conference itself has confirmed should not have happened, raising questions about the integrity of a win that keeps their season on track.
The incident underscores the high-stakes nature of replay review in college football and the pressure on officials to get crucial calls correct. When replay officials review a play multiple times and still reach the wrong conclusion based on a clearly written rule, it raises serious concerns about training, communication, and the review process itself.
As the season progresses, the Big 12 will need to address these ongoing officiating issues to maintain credibility and ensure fair competition across the conference. For Arizona State, however, any improvements come too late to recover the victory they may well have earned on Saturday night.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2026/11/01/big-12-admits-officiating-error-in-byus-win-over-asu-replay-was-incorrect-in-awarding-td/