NCAAF, Virginia Tech Hokies, Michigan Wolverines
Out of all the bowl games we've seen this season, this play was one of the most spectacular ones out there. Unfortunately for Virginia Tech, it was ruled an incompletion.
At first glance, I honestly thought he was out of bounds. After further review, it looked pretty clear that his elbow landed in the end zone before he slid out of bounds.
Upon further further review, the nose of the ball appeared to hit the ground as he landed, ever so slightly moving the ball. By rule, that makes it an incompletion. Check out this picture for a closer look:
So... did Virginia Tech get robbed? Nope... at least not on that play. The refs made the right call, and it's unfortunate that Virginia Tech kicker Justin Myer couldn't get the job done.
The thing is... they might have gotten robbed later, when Michigan kicker Brendan Gibbons false started before kicking the game winning field goal. Take a look:
What do you think about each of these plays? Should Danny Coale's divineg catch have been ruled a touchdown? Should the field goal have been overturned and pushed back 5 yards? Or were both of them the right call? What do you think?
Hat tip to: [Dr. Saturday]
1/12/12 | hokiemom24641 | 3 respect
Yes, the HOKIES got robbed! The winner was a 'done deal' before the game started. Also, anyone hear Allstate bragging about WI BEFORE the game??? Shame! Shame!
1/12/12 | davidsebring | 2 respect
Stop the video at the top of this story at 43 seconds and you can see the ball hit the ground between his elbows. INCOMPLETE!
1/12/12 | davidsebring | 2 respect
In the top video he has the ball secured going out. If there was a still shot rewind to the point before going out you can clearly see the tip of the ball is on the ground under his left elbow. incomplete.
1/12/12 | davidsebring | 2 respect
In the picture above what you see is the top of the ball is between his arms. On the other angle behind the catch you can clearly see the other end of the ball is touching the ground before he goes out. The ground can not be used to complete the catch. Ball touched the ground during the catch, incomplete pass.
1/4/12 |
Pat
|
4513 respect
The scoreboard tells a remarkably different story, good sir.
1/4/12 | sigmahokies
Yeah, Coale are robbed. His elbow touched the touchdown. football's rules say: If ball touch chest with TWO hands, It's possession ball. VT should win that game. But in Reality, Va Tech dominated Mich already, check the status report...Va Tech's gain yards, number of caught ball, time of possession, number of 1st down are higher than Mich's. it's very clearly that Mich was lucky to win...I'm still believe VT won that game already against Mich, like 38-7. VT won that game, period.
1/4/12 | BBall_Fan | 5106 respect
Yes, this was a bad call and Coale was robbed. His elbow hit the ground before the ball and should have been a catch, but that's the way the ball bounces.
1/4/12 | ral160
No they didn't get robbed.
The NCAA rule is that if the ball hits the ground and moves during a catch it is an incompletion. In the NFL, it would have been a catch. The ball is allowed to contact the ground and move as long as the receiver had possession before the contact and maintains possession during the contact and movement with the ground.
Sorry VT, petition the rules committee and get it changed but until then it was an incompletion according to the rulebook.
I wish it were a catch, and maybe in the future of NCAA it will be but today it is not a catch...Sorry VT
1/4/12 | Jeff_P | 19488 respect
I AGREE.....but there is a smartass gambler who took my statement like i bet the game and was whining.....................
1/4/12 | lefty12272003 | 21 respect
VT did get robbed. It was a great catch and his elbow hit inbounds and he was in control of the football.
1/4/12 | Jeff_P | 19488 respect
some people should think before they spout off. vegas wasn't the winner. the game fell right on the number, so every ticket that got in on the closing number, got their money back. it's obvious you badger fans are still upset about the infamous "lights out" game at unlv several years ago. get over it, and learn the rules before you make plays.
where we bet SIRRRRRRRRRRR... ..the line was 2.5........SOOOOO EXCUSE MEEEEEEEEEE..........and i just made a statement......NOOOOOOOOOO SPOUTING OFF MR.EXPERT........i believe YOU SPOUTED OFF.......NOT REALIZING NOT ALLLLLLLLLL LINES ARE CREATED EQUAL.....AND WE ARE NOT AL; MR. BIG SHOT MONEYBAGS.....and for your information......I DIDNT BET THAT GAME..........SO SAAAAAAAAAAY BYE.............
1/4/12 | djdaze55 | 2 respect
the ground did not help him secure that catch one iota. he moved the ball out of the air into the crux of his elbow. that was a horribly reversed call.
1/4/12 | pigskinfan | 33 respect
some people should think before they spout off. vegas wasn't the winner. the game fell right on the number, so every ticket that got in on the closing number, got their money back. it's obvious you badger fans are still upset about the infamous "lights out" game at unlv several years ago. get over it, and learn the rules before you make plays.
1/4/12 | pigskinfan | 33 respect
no they weren't robbed at all. the ball clearly moved in both cases and wasn't controlled by either player. the real robbery was coach beamer wasting the clearly better team...AGAIN!
1/4/12 | Jeff_P | 19488 respect
VT GOT ROBBED AND JOBBED........VEGAS WAS THE ONLY WINNER.......
1/4/12 |
Dan_B
|
796 respect
IMO there wasn't enough evidence to overturn the call on the field. Similarly, had it been called incomplete on the field there wouldn't have been enough to overturn it the other way.
And of course this was a Pac-12 officiating crew.