Former NFL referee confirms mistake in Notre Dame vs. BYU game

On Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium, the No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish suffered a significant setback to the BYU Cougars, falling 28-24, according to a report from South Bend, Indiana, USA. Former NFL referee and rules analyst Terry McAulay has come forward with a claim that the Irish were denied a final opportunity to secure a victory.

McAulay asserts that there was one second left on the clock when Notre Dame's final pass fell incomplete, and he believes replay officials should have reviewed the situation, which could have granted the Irish one additional play. The controversial finish occurred as Notre Dame trailed by four points, with a first-and-goal on the final play of the game.

Quarterback CJ Carr attempted to pass to wide receiver Jaden Greathouse in the back of the end zone, but the throw fell incomplete as Greathouse was seemingly held back from reaching the ground. No flag was thrown, and the game was ruled over. ESPN/ABC rules analyst Matt Austin commented on the finish, stating that he believed it warranted a penalty, specifically a DPI (defensive holding), due to the significant contact and lack of playing the ball.

However, the non-call on the pass interference was not the only issue that drew attention. Fans and media members scrutinized the replay, and many noticed that the clock still displayed one second remaining when the ball hit the ground, suggesting that replay officials may have missed a chance to correct the clock. McAulay confirmed this discrepancy in a post on X, stating that the bug clock showed :01 at the time the pass hit the ground (BYU/ND).

He wrote, "Replay should have reviewed to determine if the in-stadium clock was at :01 at that point and if so, ND would have had one more play." McAulay emphasized that while it's impossible to know how the game would have played out with the additional opportunity, it's clear that Notre Dame should have been given the chance.