Maryland football should have lost by another point to Nebraska. Here’s why.
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Could Maryland football’s 48-23 loss at Nebraska on Saturday have been any worse?
Well, apparently yes. By one point.
The Big Ten acknowledged Monday that officials incorrectly handled Nebraska’s final extra-point attempt with 6:35 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Cornhuskers’ win over Maryland.
Nebraska had just taken a 48-23 lead on quarterback Anthony Colandrea’s 30-yard touchdown pass to Keelan Gilmer when kicker Kyle Cunanan missed the ensuing extra point. Maryland was called for illegal contact with the snapper on the play.
Because the penalty occurred during the missed attempt, Nebraska should have been allowed to retry the extra point with the ball moved half the distance to the goal, according to the conference.
Instead, officials allowed the miss to stand and enforced the penalty on the ensuing kickoff.
“With 6:35 remaining in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s Maryland-Nebraska game, Big Ten officials incorrectly officiated Nebraska’s final PAT attempt,” the conference said in a statement.
The Big Ten said it has contacted the officiating crew about the error and “will continue to emphasize consistent application of the playing rules.”
The mistake did not affect the outcome of the game, which Nebraska won by 25 points, but it denied Cunanan another chance. The miss was the first of his college career; he is now 95-for-96 on extra-point attempts across four seasons at Charlotte and Nebraska.
It was one of many officiating moments in a flag-filled game. Maryland was penalized 12 times for 115 yards, while Nebraska was flagged 16 times for 132 yards, and Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule made clear afterward that he was unhappy with how the game was handled.
“Yeah, I thought it was ridiculous,” Rhule said. “I thought it was poorly handled by the officials. … You’ve never heard me say it before, but I was frustrated today.”
Six members of Saturday’s officiating crew also worked the controversial Western Michigan-Michigan game Sept. 5, when an incorrect replay ruling gave Michigan an additional second and another offensive play. The Wolverines scored a 47-yard touchdown on that play to win, 13-12.
The NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee later determined that Western Michigan would have won had replay protocols been properly followed, although the result could not be changed under NCAA rules.
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The six officials were referee Jim Wharrie, side judge Grady Smith, back judge Jeff Latkiewicz, center judge Gregory Nelson, linesman Ric Hinkamper and field judge Kyle DeBuse.
Maryland coach Michael Locksley did not specifically criticize the officiating in his postgame remarks, instead pointing to his team’s own mistakes.
“I thought our guys came to play this week,” Locksley said. “But had way too many self-inflicted wounds. … When you play good teams like Nebraska, they don’t need help.”
The loss dropped Maryland to 2-3 and continued a difficult stretch in which the Terps have struggled to avoid costly mistakes.
Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes.
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