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Pac-12 Suspends Referee After Awarding Penalty to Wrong Team

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Pac-12 has suspended a referee for one game after the officiating crew of the California–Washington State game awarded a penalty to the wrong team.

Early in the third quarter, Washington State returned a kickoff to midfield, but a hands-to-face penalty called against the Cougars brought it back to the Washington State 8-yard line. As it turns out, the penalty was actually committed by a Cal player and should have given the Cougars’ run-back an extra 15 yards.

"After the next play was run, the referee informed Washington State that there was an error in application of the penalty," the conference said in a statement.