Apparent blown call on onside kick costly for Michigan State football

In a pivotal moment of the Michigan State football game against Illinois, a controversial blown call on the onside kick cost the Spartans dearly. With a mere eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the score at 31-24 in favor of Michigan State, coach Pat Fitzgerald decided to employ a daring strategy - an onside kick. Freshman Samson Gash, displaying remarkable athleticism, made a daring 15-yard dash down the sideline and dove to secure possession of the ball for the Spartans.

However, the celebration was short-lived as officials blew the whistle, flagging Gash for an offsides violation, negating his remarkable recovery. The question arose: was Samson Gash truly offsides? Reports from the television booth and replay expert Mike Pereira suggested Gash was only half a yard behind the kicker when the ball was snapped, a detail that could have significantly impacted the call.

Initially, a replay review indicated that Gash was out of bounds when he secured the ball, which would have resulted in a 5-yard penalty and awarded Illinois the ball without a rekick. Yet, after further scrutiny, it became clear that Gash was indeed inbounds during his recovery, thereby allowing Michigan State to rekick and continue their push for victory.

This unexpected setback marked a challenging season for Michigan State football under Pat Fitzgerald's leadership, following a tumultuous six-season tenure under Mel Tucker and Jonathan Smith, including an interim period overseen by Harlon Barnett. After the loss to Illinois, the Spartans are set to host Northwestern on October 17 before embarking on a trip to Pasadena for a showdown against UCLA at the Rose Bowl.