Michigan Wolverines fans were predictably upset following their loss to Ohio State in the regular season finale, with most of their frustrations centering around officiating. Even head coach Jim Harbaugh ripped the officials in his postgame press conference, especially about the call on a J.T. Barrett 4th down run that gave the Buckeyes a debatable first down in overtime.
Well, Big Ten coordinator of football officials Bill Carollo told the Chicago Tribune that the refs did miss a few calls in that game:
There was one egregious no-call, as bad a whiff as the officials had at any moment of this Big Ten season. On third-and-7 in the first quarter, Michigan's Amara Darboh got fouled twice on one play — defensive holding and pass interference — and neither penalty was called. What makes it worse is he was the intended receiver.
Another no-call that went against Michigan came after Jabrill Peppers' third-quarter interception. Just as Peppers was being tackled, Ohio State's Mike Weber decked Michigan cornerback Brandon Watson, who was standing nearby, not involved.
The whistle had not blown, so technically the no-call was valid. But Weber's action fit the definition of unnecessary roughness. It was a cheap shot, the kind of hit that could start a fight. Carollo downgraded the official who declined to throw the flag.
As for that controversial call on the Barrett run? Carollo said that the play could not have been overturned on replay:
And on the game's most controversial play — The Spot — Barrett was ruled on the field to have broken the plane of the 15-yard line when a Michigan defender contacted him. The ruling was close enough, Carollo said, that whatever was called on the field would not have been overturned by replay.
Michigan fans will certainly disagree with that. After all, if the officials had ruled that Barrett did not get a first down, the Wolverines would have won the game. Ohio State won the game on the ensuing play, via a Curtis Samuel touchdown run.
Ohio State qualified for the College Football Playoff with the win, and will face Clemson on New Year's Eve in the Fiesta Bowl. Michigan plays Florida State in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.
Follow our Michigan Wolverines news page for all the latest Michigan football news!
Back to the Michigan Wolverines Newsfeed