Blown Call Lifts ND to Victory

Notre Dame improved their record to 6-0 Saturday after a 20-13 overtime victory against #17 Stanford. An overall exciting game ended in disappointing fashion as a horrendous call stripped Stanford the opportunity to extend the game into overtime. The most pathetic aspect of this call was the fact that the referees got it wrong twice: After the initial play and after it was video reviewed through instant replay. The ruling that the referees made on this play was dead wrong, and here is why.

A late game successful 22 yard field goal by Notre Dame's kicker, Kyle Brindza, forced a hotly contested game into overtime. Stanford won the overtime coin toss and wisely chose to defer. Back-up quarterback Tommy Rees, Everett Golson left the game late in the 4th quarter with a concussion, miraculously led the Irish down the shortened field capping off the "drive" with a 7 yard touchdown pass to tight end TJ Jones. Stanford now needed a touchdown on the ensuing drive in order to keep the game going. Stanford worked their way to inside the one yard line. They were left in four down territory facing a 3rd down and goal. Stepfan Taylor was stuffed on the third down play by the formidable Notre Dame defense forcing an all-or-nothing 4th down and goal play. To fully understand the play I will walk through it in steps:

1. Typical goal-line formation shown by both teams. Defense has almost everybody in the box, minus a cornerback or two, obviously expecting a run. Offense is lined up with one receiver wide, a two back set and seven on the line of scrimmage.

2. Stanford's quarterback Josh Nunes hands off the ball to running back Stephan Taylor.

3. Taylor rushes to the right. Initially he is stuffed forcing Taylor in a backwards standing position but the whistle has not been blown yet.

4. Taylor twists around and falls forward desperately reaching the ball forward towards the touchdown line. Throughout this whole process, Taylor was elevated off the ground over other players bodies. His elbows do not go down until the ball has broken the plane of the end zone

5. The ball comes out but is recovered by a Stanford offensive linemen. So either way it is still a touchdown.

This is what I saw after examining slow-motion replays of the play. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but I think that the referees made the incorrect call potentially robbing Stanford of a victory. Notre Dame still advanced to 6-0, but once they play another quality opponent, and the refs don't botch up a critical call, Notre Dame will be exposed for the overrated team that they are.