When
OSU linebacker Alex Elkins knocked the ball from Texas running back Joe
Bergeron’s hands prior to Bergeron crossing the goal line, it looked as
if the Cowboys had narrowly preserved a victory.
Officials, however, signaled a touchdown. Replay failed to provide sufficient evidence to overturn the call.
Things got weirder on Oct. 3, when Oklahoman reporter
Gina Mizell, citing two unnamed OSU sources, reported that the head of
Big 12 officiating had apologized profusely to OSU head coach Mike
Gundy.
Within hours,
the Big 12 issued a denial via Twitter: “Reports that the Big 12
acknowledged a blown call and issued an apology to Oklahoma State are
inaccurate.”
What has clearly been lost
in Apologygate is that an apology means nothing. Even if Walt Anderson,
head of Big 12 officiating, had phoned Gundy, the score would remain the
same. Perhaps it’s time instead for the NFL and NCAA to finally
consider revisiting all the close games throughout history to right the
wrongs committed by future replacement refs.
First stop: Columbia, Mo., to fix that Fifth Down Game.
This article appears in Oct 3-9, 2012.