newsweek
No. 8 BYU held off Arizona State 27-20 on Saturday in Provo, but the game's outcome was overshadowed by another officiating controversy. The Big 12 later issued a statement admitting that replay officials erred in awarding BYU a first-quarter touchdown.
The Cougars built a 17-3 halftime lead, but the Sun Devils fought back with two third-quarter touchdown drives to tie the game. BYU reclaimed control in the fourth quarter behind a 45-yard field goal by Matthias Dunn and a second touchdown run by Sione Moa, which sealed the victory.
Bear Bachmeier completed 19 of 30 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown for BYU, while Arizona State's Jake Fette went 22 of 42 for 166 yards and two touchdowns.
The controversy stemmed from a play with 11:27 left in the first quarter. Bachmeier attempted a quarterback sneak from the Arizona State one-yard line, fumbled, and Moa recovered and ran into the end zone. Officials initially ruled that Bachmeier's forward progress had been stopped, but after two replay reviews, they awarded BYU a touchdown.
The Big 12 stated that the correct ruling should have been that BYU recovered the fumble at the two-yard line, with no advancement allowed. Instead, the Cougars should have faced third-and-goal from the two. FOX rules analyst Mike Pereira sided with Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham, saying Moa should not have been permitted to advance the ball.
Key Analysis
The error is especially frustrating for Arizona State because it is not the first time BYU has benefited from a disputed call this season. Two weeks ago, after BYU defeated Notre Dame 28-24, the Big 12 admitted that officials failed to recognize one second remaining on the clock, which would have given the Fighting Irish another play. The following week, BYU's double-overtime loss to UCF also featured contentious late-game decisions involving a 10-second runoff and a roughing-the-kicker penalty.
Saturday's result has significant implications for both teams. BYU improved to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Big 12 play, keeping its conference championship and College Football Playoff hopes alive. Arizona State fell to 4-4 and 2-3 in conference play, putting its bowl eligibility at risk.
The Sun Devils erased a 14-point deficit to tie the game but faltered in the fourth quarter. A win over BYU would have been their first signature victory of the season and given them a legitimate path to the Big 12 title game. Instead, they sit at .500 with a challenging schedule ahead: against Colorado, at UCF, versus No. 24 Oklahoma State, and at No. 22 Arizona.
Originally reported by newsweek.