The officials in Saturday’s College Football Playoff semifinal game between Michigan and TCU made a controversial decision in the second quarter that most observers disagreed with.
Michigan was down 14-3 to the Horned Frogs but had just gotten an interception. On their first play after the turnover, J.J. McCarthy threw a deep pass to Roman Wilson, who appeared to catch a 50-yard touchdown. The call on the field was a touchdown, and Wilson appeared to only gain control of the ball once he was in the end zone.
The officials overturned the call and called it 1st-and-goal at the half-yard line (full details here). On the next play, Michigan ended up turning the ball over with a lost fumble.
It was an absolutely brutal sequence for Michigan, and fans could not believe the decision to overturn the touchdown.
Take a look at the reactions:
Horrible horrible overturn by replay on Michigan TD…indisputable evidence needed to overturn call on field…there was none…BS meter in the red!
— Jim Brandstatter (@jimbrandstatter) December 31, 2022
Absolute disaster. A horrible overturn on the replay. Michigan gets cute. Just a total disaster. That is probably how Michigan loses this game. Unreal.
— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) December 31, 2022
If Michigan loses by less than 6 points those refs should be fired. Then buy a dictionary and look up the word “indisputable” because there was zero evidence to overturn this TD #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/JSvQ958vUP
— Jay Henry (@jayhenry79) December 31, 2022
Don't see indisputable video evidence from any angles shown to overturn the ruling on the field. The standard for changing the call should be much higher than this.https://t.co/isjeOdhUjY pic.twitter.com/cTyoAJUl1r
— Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ Zᴇʙʀᴀs🇺🇦 (@footballzebras) December 31, 2022
This could end up haunting Michigan.
Don’t know how you overturn this and rule it short imo. Didn’t seem to get possession until he was in endzonepic.twitter.com/uUYqT0zUnJ
— Max Chadwick (@MaxChadwickCFB) December 31, 2022
Note to referees (everywhere but especially the crew officiating the Michigan game).. we did not tune in to see/hear from you. That overturn of Wilson’s catch was egregious and the kind of thing that has repercussion for players but none for officials.
— Jason Staley (@jstales7) December 31, 2022
Weird game so far….michigan got robbed on that TD overturn IMO (will never understand replay)…and come up empty twice inside the 2 yd line. Could, and prolly should, be winning this one right now, instead down 11. Have a feeling the wackiness is far from over
— PHaNToM (@PHaNToM_CaPPeR) December 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/WillPresti/status/1609311232971923457
That was a brutal overturn of the Michigan TD. No question the receiver didn’t have possession until he was in the end zone. Followed up with a fumble by Michigan on the next play.
— Bob Adlhoch (@badlhoch) December 31, 2022
Not only was there not enough evidence to overturn that call, there didn’t appear to be any evidence to overturn that call. Considering what happened on the next play, that overturn could not have been more consequential.
