Following what it called “a series of errors” on the final play, the Atlantic Coast Conference suspended the officiating crew that worked the Miami-Duke game for two league games.
On Sunday, the league announced the decision about 13 hours after the Hurricanes threw a combined eight laterals before Corn Elder took the last one for the game-ending touchdown that beat Duke 30-27.
Commissioner John Swofford stated in a statement announcing the suspension of the on-field crew, the replay official and the communicator, that the final play “was not handled appropriately.”
The league claimed that the replay official was wrong in not declaring Miami’s Mark Walton down before he flipped the ball, and that the on-field crew should have flagged the Hurricanes for an illegal block in the back.
Swofford a déclaré que la qualité de notre programme d’officiers est d’une grande importance pour la ligue et ses écoles, et que la dernière partie du match n’a pas été traitée de manière appropriée. Il est extrêmement difficile d’être directeur, mais nos joueurs, coaches, programmes et admirateurs méritent le meilleur. Nous allons continuer à travailler pour atteindre cette exigence.
Older watched the replay of his game-winning kickoff return on Sunday morning again and again, his teammates passing around the clip on their phones and tablets while flying home after one of the wildest endings in college football history.