The Texas Tech Red Raiders were robbed of a game-changing turnover by a very curious refereeing decision Saturday against the Baylor Bears.
The Red Raiders took unbeaten Baylor to overtime tied at 20. On the Bears’ first overtime possession, center Jake Fruhmorgen appeared to snap the ball off his own leg, causing it to fall to the turf. Texas Tech recovered and seemed to have the ball, but Baylor was called for an illegal snap penalty. While it cost them five yards, it meant they kept possession.
It was pretty tough to tell what part of the snap was illegal, as no one on either line moved and it simply seemed to be a bad snap.
@Big12Conference how is this an illegal snap?! It’s a bad snap! Completely blown call that cost Texas Tech a turnover in OT pic.twitter.com/IPdq42R36L
— Travis Jones (@TravisJonesPXP) October 12, 2019
Fox rules expert Dean Blandino admitted that he felt the referees had gotten the call wrong, and it should have been Texas Tech’s ball.
On Baylor-Texas Tech broadcast, Dean Blandino argues the Baylor illegal snap should've been ruled a fumble. This ending has been nuts.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) October 12, 2019
Had it been ruled a fumble, Texas Tech would have needed only a field goal to win the game. Instead, Baylor kept the ball and scored a touchdown. Texas Tech managed to force a second overtime, but could only muster a field goal, while Baylor scored a game-winning touchdown on their second possession. Had the snap been called a fumble, it was a possession they may never have received.
Texas Tech can feel justifiably robbed of this one. Mike Leach probably won’t care, though.
