Notre Dame beat Stanford 20-13 on Saturday after the referees reviewed a 4th and goal play in overtime and ruled that Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor was short of the goal line.
The Cardinal handed the ball to Taylor, who had 28 carries for 102 yards, on their final play of the game. After initially appearing to be stuffed in the backfield, Taylor kept moving and wiggled his way toward the goal line. He waded his way over the pile of bodies and appeared to reach the ball over the goal line before being down. The referees said he did not score.
Mike Pereira, the former Vice President of Officiating for the National Football League and current rules analyst for FOX Sports, believes Taylor scored on the play.
“We have looked at ND/STA last play from every angle & feel that it is a TD,” he tweeted. “Progress was not ruled & runner was not down. Ball broke plain.
“The fact that the whistle may or may not have been blown is irrelevant. The play is reviewed and when the whistle blew has no bearing,” Pereira added.
Stanford fell to 4-2 after the loss while Notre Dame improved to 6-0.
Was it a bad call or not? I certainly think so. The Cardinal should have been attempting an extra point to tie the game.
Video via College Football Section
