Big 12 removes officials from assignment after mistake in Kansas-Missouri game
The Big 12 officiating crew that worked the Kansas-Missouri game last week has been removed from its next assignment.
Head coach Brent Brennan of the Arizona Wildcats watches as referee Mike McCabe reviews a play during the first half of their game aginst the Brigham Young Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Provo, Utah.(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 officiating crew that worked the Kansas-Missouri game last week has been removed from its next assignment because it failed to enforce a rule in the kicking game, the conference announced Tuesday.
NCAA rules require the kick following a touchdown to be kicked off a tee or be a dropkick, a type that’s nearly obsolete. Missouri had Connor Weselman punt following its first touchdown, and the Tigers should have been penalized 5 yards and re-kicked properly. The crew headed by referee Mike McCabe allowed the teams to play on after the punt.
“We believe we have one of the best officiating programs in college football,” Big 12 chief football and competition officer Scott Draper said in a statement. “When the Conference’s high standard for officiating is not met, the Big 12 will take action.”
McCabe’s crew had been scheduled to work one of the two Big 12 games Friday night. The conference did not specify whether it was Colorado at Houston or Kansas State at Arizona, and a spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Missouri, which beat Kansas 42-31, went into the game with a precarious kicking situation. The Tigers’ starting kicker, Blake Craig, tore his ACL in the opener against Central Arkansas and Oliver Robbins handled the opening kickoff.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on Missouri after its first touchdown, and the 15-yard penalty was enforced on the kickoff from the Tigers’ 20. Weselman punted, against the rules, and Robbins was back to handle kickoffs the rest of the game. The only time a punt is allowed following a score is after a safety.
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Comments
4 Comments
Pretty simple rule. Not sure what the ref was thinking of letting him punt knowing punts are only allowed after a safety. Pretty basic. His umpire, short and deep wings should have stepped up.
Not a 'slight goof'. this was a shocking egregious error. I mean, I knew the kickoff rule when I was in elementary school. For an entire officiating crew of professionals working games at the highest level in the NCAA, it is absolutely stunning for them to get this so wrong.
What happens to the refs that picked up a flag after a clear chop block on a play that resulted in a touchdown in what was a 1 score game?
Missing a call is one thing, picking up a flag on a obvious correct call (benefiting the SEC of course) is another thing entirely.