Illinois Fumble

[rentslave]

Covers.com just blew the whistle on a possibly crooked referee involved in this play.

[Kartracer6]

@rentslave might wanna supply a more directive link...I know there was talk about a ref being suspended or something but as far as I remember it had nothing to do with this play.

[CobainStJohns]

@Kartracer6 Google Stephen Pamon and click on the first link (ESPN link). And no I can not post links on YouTube.

[Kartracer6]

@CobainStJohns you can send them through personal messages

[Kartracer6]

@CobainStJohns from what I got out of this article is that the guy had some "possible" problems in his personal life. At no point does it address the reffing issue. I Know you didn't make the original comment so I don't know your view points but this incident just seems like it's an excuse to yell foul on the play when you don't have to. I mean from the original view no one can tell he fumbled this but Ohio should have challenged it and they didn't.

[GeneralUrsus]

Buckeyes ball on the 20.

[aydog]

it was a bad call but OSU deserved it. their only title in 40 years came from a fake pass interference all against Miami in 2002. now that was a terrible call

[bucknut46]

Pryor and Beanie are going to tear it up this weekend.  Bucks over Illini...BIG!

[BillyBong05]

Of course they killed them. Business as usual. Illinois can't beat Ohio State if the refs don't help them.

[triciap45]

Things will be different this year!!!

[glfrby310]

but that was totally a fumble

[Kartkid024]

It was, but when they show it from another angle. when the player recovered the ball he was out of bounds. So it actually helped Ohio state in this game as far as field position goes.

[glfrby310]

well billy bong...too bad they didn't cause ILLINOIS WHIPPED OSU!!!

[OwnagePlayer740]

Actually they didn't at all. OSU - Illinois is the most lopsided rivalry I can think of.

[BillyBong05]

Had the fumble been called, any momentum Illinois got from that run and subsequent touchdown would have been out the window. That means the rest of the game goes differently. That means Ohio State wins easily.

And it could have been reviewed in this case, I heard...something about the ball going out of bounds, or seeing what would have happened had it been a fumble before the whistle was blown.

[Kartkid024]

Even if the fumble had been called it was recovered out of bounds. But, yes, should have been called. However, even if Ohio state had gotten the ball, why does Ohio State win easily. Very next play could have been and interception to a touch down, or better yet, say a hard hit injures the QB and the game goes down hill for Ohio state. This play meant nothing.

[OwnagePlayer740]

While Todd Boeckman played like shit that game, we still had a run game and Boeckman could just short pas it.

[jessydodson]

hey

[MVillani1985]

They say that the best away to avoid losing from a bad call is to never put yourself in a position that a bad call can determine the outcome. Example: Penn State vs Ohio State in 2006. A bogus false start penalty at the 1 yard line effectively switched momentum. But Penn State was still in it. Later, a missed call about a pick six spiked at the one yard line was the final nail in the coffin. But still, if Penn State wanted to win, they should have avoided those mistakes, despite the bad calls.

[TGR33N3]

A BLown Call is the only reason the Buckeyes ever won a BCS national Champion ship.

Canes Fan

[nmmeyer9922]

i'm a buckeye fan and im sorry to say but this doesnt even matter....we still got to play in the nc game and we still lost :(

[giltakeover]

Wow Im a Maryland fan but that is complete bullshit.

[Amagic101]

we woulda won anyways..sorry

[jgarbani]

what position do you play for the Illini?

[GoOhioStateBuckeyes]

The refs were the cheaters...the one guy who was just in the news as a gambler and wife beater was the official and must have bet on Illinois

[jrfire17]

you're an idiot. yeah the refs are reason osu lost. hey, why dont u try holding on to the ball in the 4th quarter?..why dont u tyr running more then 3 plays on offense in the fourth quarter. eh..probably wouldnt have mattered anyway.

[FightingIllini6]

are you kidding jrfire17, me the refs didnt take out the osu players so that juice williams could run all over you guys and run out the clock and the refs didnt make todd beockman throw 3 interceptions. The illini just played better

[jrfire17]

maybe you are the bigger idiot. i was speaking sarcasticly to this fool. i am an illini fan and i live in illinois. stupid people like you should be banned from even posting comments.

[4silverrings]

Illinois=Cheaters

[billdo76]

Illinois is one of the more honest teams playing in the NCAA. If you wish, I can pull up some videos of previous years where there were some questionable calls against OSU vs other teams.

[4silverrings]

c-h-e-a-t-e-r-s

[illiniking04]

cheaters you osu guys are the biggest losers ever you played like crap for the whole game and you deserved to lose you're still in the championship so stop bitching maybe shouldn't let Juice keep the ball for 8 minutes next time

[4silverrings]

liars and cheaters

[Kartracer6]

Illinois didn't cheat it was just a bad call not Illinois fault if you where that player and you knew you fumbled would you have said something. Not saying the call was right it was a fumble no doubt but it's the coaches responsibility to challenge. wanna see a bad call check the Oregon State beavers vs Washington Huskies

[ballaman569]

He coulodnt challenge because it was ruled down by contact. That is what pisses us OSU fans off. It is clear that these refs should NEVER be allowed to ref Division I ball again.

[Kartracer6]

why because they missed a close call. You can only see the fumble from the slow motion replay and if they can't review it by rule it sounds like a rule the NCAA needs to address not the refs. Don't come down on the refs for this

[toomanyscreennames]

you could see the fumble in full speed..... was a pretty shitty call in the first place

[Kartracer6]

Ya after you watch this video several times. Keep in mind the play was in full speed and the refs had a different angle. yes they missed the call but also the player who got the ball was out of bounds before obtaining possession of it anyway

[Kartracer6]

if they couldn't challenge then why was the annoncer saying they better get this ball snapped quickly

[ballaman569]

Because it was in the heat of the moment and Bob Griese didnt realize what the call was yet. You cannot challenge it when the refs rule it down by contact. If its a close call you are taught to ALWAYS let the play pan out and then let the booth review it. Dont ever assume a call as a referee. These same refs were complained about in a game 2 weeks before and this game was their first game back from suspension.

[Kartracer6]

Thanks I've never heard that rule. Sorry not really a football fan just an Illini fan. I heard about the suspension but I thought they hadn't been suspended yet and the only reason they where refing that game was because they had already been hired. But I may be wrong. So if they would have called it a fumble then it could have been challenged but not the other way around?

[ballaman569]

Correct. Now do u see why OSU fans get pissed off about this call?

[Kartracer6]

I guess I could see it. Part of me says if they were that good they shouldn't have been put into that position even thought it's still not saying they would have won but I would be pissed to be honest it's a stupid rule.

[Kartracer6]

Guess he should have challenged it. Refs don't see everything

[bucknut46]

refs don't but the guy in the review booth are supposed to. Even the commentaters saw it! That was the worst missed call of the year and shows that even the replay system needs work.

[Kartracer6]

But it was never challenged.  If the ref thinks it's down and the coach does not challenge anything then the officials must continue the game as if the call was right. It happens and Ohio will get one back down the line.

[pmwaibel]

OSU can suck a dick

[Lyle183]

Just for the Record that referee official was suspended for charges of gambling amongst other past issues.

[getpumped87]

HOLY POOP! I was at the game and never saw the highlight, how did Tress not challenge!!

[weeezerguy812]

Quit your bitchin. Youre number one again. Just try and beat LSU.

[gatorcade]

The ball did come out but it was knocked out of bounce in the end zone by an osu player who dint have control of the ball which makes it the offences (Illinios) ball. I dint care who won this game so I call it as I see it and others only see what they want. whach the whole video. The great defense of osu should have stop the run. Try to steal a great victory from someone else just like last year national championship if we wouldnt have gotten ginn hurt .1 man could have scored 35 more points.

[coons7]

Those rules are totally incorrect. If a player fumbles the ball into the opponent's end zone, it's a touchback for OSU. It happened like 3 weeks ago to another team.

[zabes22]

coons7 is right.

goes back to the offense. What are you smoking? How much football have you watched?

If that was the rule, everytime a team was backed up in their own endzone and in danger of giving up a safety, they would just "fumble" the ball through the back of the endzone. What a stupid comment.

[eiujmper24]

It was with 14 minutes left to go in the FIRST QUARTER....... get over it

[mro33005]

except that that single play could have changed the entire game.

[DoctorJ0023]

OSU played as bad as possible and still had a shot to win.  Illinois played flawless football. Props to Illinois but OSU is still the best team in the country, hands down.

[harpua22]

You can't spell delusional without OSU.

[coons7]

There are lots of words you can't spell without OSU. Try Outstanding. You're a cretin.

[niuhuskiedude10]

jeez, someone's bitter.

[harpua22]

Look on the bright side OSU. At least you won't have to lose another national title game in a completely embarrassing manner. Dear Lord the Big Ten sucks.

[nickww66]

shut the fuck up. You can't judge oHio State on one game last year.

Yes the big10 really sucks, 10 out of 11 teams are bow eligible.

Big 10 has Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, Penn St., and Wisconsin, 5 good teams. Purdue doesn't make for a bad 6th team either.

[harpua22]

Appalachian St. would win the big ten this year. The big ten teams look "good" because they get to play each other and Notre Dame. In the pac-10 or SEC, the best big ten team would have AT LEAST four losses. OSU lost to Ron Zook. Nothing else really needs to be said.

[mro33005]

and Ron Zook knows what he's doing. please quit being a douchebag and basing everything off of OSU's loss to florida. I believe the big10 was 2-1 against the SEC in bowl games last year, and only 2 down from SEC in the total record. i wish SEC teams would come up to the cold north to play sometime.

[giants73756]

nobody i was watching this thought it was a fumble when we saw it live the first time. stop crying that ohio state lost. its their own fault they didnt challenge it. theres a reason ur allowed to challenge plays

[walt100]

From Mandel's mailbag at CNN SI (sportsillustrated dot cnn dot com/2007/writers/stewart_mande­l/11/13/mailbag/3 dot html)

Annoying breed of fan: "The guy who blames his team's loss on a first-quarter officiating mistake."

[WILDREPUBLIC]

Not saying it cost the game, but if the Buckeyes take the ball and go up 14, it would have been interesting to see how Juice and the Illini would have played down 2 touchdowns.

[gerardi43147]

Um I believe it depends on how big of a mistake and I think getting that fumble was pretty big. Please deny that it was a fumble.

[dldowell1122]

What the FUck..Who paid off these refs. Illinois was holding the whole game and they get called for 1. How the fuck do you think Illinois ran for all those yards, because they were holding on %25 of the plays. what a joke the refs were. As an OSU fan this is the first time I can honestly say that the team did not beat OSU but the officials did.

[mro33005]

there was definetly rediculous holding...

[lanceito]

Thanks for posting this video...I thought I was in the twilight zone since Sat. There was no review, no commnent, no replay on news, even on sportcenter they didnt show the end of the run. Regardless of any potnetial change in outcome, I think it is outragous and down right "conspiracy theory" crazy that this fumble was not discussed anywhere at any time during rest of the football weekend. Here's a big middle finger to ESPN and the media!

[Lin13zi]

I hear ya!!!!

[gerardi43147]

AMEN!! What does OSU do to make everybody hate us.

[Bucknut02]

WIN!

[riaster02]

Oh and the 2002 national championship game had many holding calls on miami that were never called by the refs, theres pics all over the internet of that... there will be no calls here and there in games, but this was a major season changing one, but if OSU would have played their normal game, it would have been a blow out, Illinois played better

[riaster02]

This was a clear no call by the refs, it should have been reviewed. Many people are commenting that osu had many calls go their way, and there some here and there, But none of those calls cost the other team a national championship game either. OSU played crappy all game, but that call would have prevented the first TD and given OSU 2 points for the recovery in the end zone...

[pierce2005]

OSU wouldn't have gotten 2 points for this. They would have gotten the ball on their own 20 yard line however. Regardless it was a huge missed call. Hopefully we can beat Michgan and go to the Rose Bowl. GO BUCKS!!!!!!

[Stink808]

why didn't the coach have this reviewed?

[baltic52]

Hmm....must be a whiny Penn State Nittany kitten griping about the buckeyes.....again

Keep poopin' joepa!!!!

[walt100]

More proof why the crying is riotously funny.

Hey, no matter who they play, the Buckeyes will always be the real losers. If they can even manage to graduate (a BIG if), it's still just a "degree" from Ohio State.

[mro33005]

obviously you dont know how good a school OSU really is...

[walt100]

Given your spelling of "rediculous" in another comment here, you must be an Ohio State student or graduate.

[mro33005]

i give my sincere apologies for typing an "e" instead of an "i." do you want to criticize me for not capitalizing letters at the beginning of my sentences?

[walt100]

That's a lame attempt to cover your inability to spell a common word.

[mro33005]

how was i trying to cover my mistake? maybe where youre from they didnt teach you how to read, considering you obviously didnt read why i typed. asshole.

[gerardi43147]

Walt100 reminds me of my little spoiled brother with his smart ass mouth. Is the only pleasure you have is to fight with people? Who cares if you don't like OSU because what ever team you do like we are better because we are #1

[mro33005]

also, you dont know shit.

[illinoisportsfan]

Boo Hoo.

Maybe they should have stopped him from running 80 yards first.

[WILDREPUBLIC]

contrary to what you might think, this miss call was huge and could have changed the entire face of that game. If the Buckeye's go up 14 on Juice and the illini, who know's how he reacts. Who know's how the OSU offense and defense react. Good luck against NW.

[giants73756]

the non-challenge was the big part. i know u didnt think it was a fumble when u saw it live. blame OSU for not challenging it. its their own fault so stop crying

[WILDREPUBLIC]

actually, i did think it was a fumble, but there is no "challenge" in the Big Ten. The replay officials have to call for the replay, but did not due to some "technical difficulties". I'm not blaming this play for the loss, but your kidding yourself if you believe that if this was called correctly, it wouldnt have changed the outcome of the game.

[eastindyguy]

Replay is governed by the NCAA, not each conference. All teams get 1 challenge per game given they have a time-out left.

The play was unreviewable because the official called the play dead, instead of signaling for a turnover. Once that happened, the play could not be reviewed.

[eastindyguy]

Play was whistled dead by the official, at that point Ohio State could not have challenged it. You can challenge something being called a turnover, but not a play being called dead when it should have been ruled a turnover.

[walt100]

The video and the whining are both hilarious. Oh, boo hoo. Poor Ohio State. Such a victim. Of course, crying Ohio State fans never seem to care when blown calls go their way ('02 Championship Game, the "double dribble" dropped pass vs. Penn St., and numerous others). Nor do they seem to mind lack of academic standards, the Troy Smith / Maurice Clarett booster scandals, etc. So, cry me a river. They lost. Move on.

[ThomasSchafer]

in the 2002 championship game - what every one fails to realize - is that miami could either be called for pass interference or defensive holding. its at very least defensive holding - (which keith jackson even says) the only thing the ref had to think about - was the ball in the air - that part is pretty close. BUT....since OSU was so close to the endzone - the result of either defensive holding or pass interference was the same - a 1st down - it was less than 5 yards for the 1st down anyway.

[walt100]

The point remains the same. Ohio State has been on the generous end of more than its fair share of blown calls. What goes around comes around.

[RPSGT]

You HAVE to be a PeeSU fan.

[nikkop]

this game with that call being reversed could of turned into another ohio state plow out we were up 7-0 momentum in hand nd perhaps had another long drive... we lost by 7 nad the first 7 didnt count good job big ten throwing our season away

[Shiggiddie]

The only thing more upsetting: There is no mention of this play in ANY of the ESPN articles on the game. I predicted that ESPN would not mention this, as I have yet to ever see ESPN in support of the Buckeyes. If this had happened to LSU you could bet your bottom dollar that there would be tons of mention of how the system really broke down on this play, etc. Thanks, though, snez1947. I've been waiting all day for someone to post something on the matter.

[Shiggiddie]

Oh, and before anyone says anything about me whining, etc, you have to be an idiot to not admit that a change of possession at that point would not have been detrimental to Illinois momentum and spirit, not to mention that on the next series OSU started at their 24 and drove for a touchdown, something that would have been just as likely from the 20, especially off of a HUGE turnover.

[Shiggiddie]

Also, how does a team ranked WORST in the Big Ten on penalties "miraculously" only receive a single penalty all game (a.k.a. the gross holding on the D-ends all game were not called)?

[jake44514]

I'm also an OSU guy but you go from legitimate complaint to whining when you go down the "holding all game not called" route.

The blown fumble call was legit and huge, but every fan who ever loses a game complains about the other team getting away with holding. Stick to the hard evidence.

Either way, we're 10-1.

[Shiggiddie]

I will admit, if OSU were truly a great team, this would not have mattered. I'll be the first to admit, though, that this year was suppose to be a rebuilding season for the Buckeyes, not a stellar year like the previous one (minus the Championship game), so let's face it, OSU is NOT as great a team as they were last year, and yes, you heard it here first, they needed fair officiating both ways to have a fair chance to win the game.