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VIDEO: Controversial Final Call Gives Utah State A Win Over Colorado State
Refs call off Rams hail mary.
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Tough way to lose.
Colorado State’s hail mary heroics looked good initially but the officials called off the play to give Utah State a 29-24 win.
A full recap will be coming soon, but let’s discuss the final play which the refs called back due to Preston Williams stepping out of bounds.
Also, here is the NCAA rule for eligible receivers if they go out of bounds:
ARTICLE 4. Eligibility Lost by Going Out of Bounds
No eligible offensive receiver who goes out of bounds and returns in bounds during a down shall touch a legal forward pass in the field of play or end zones or while airborne until it has been touched by an opponent or official. (A.R. 7-3-4:I-II and IV)
[Exception: This does not apply to an originally eligible offensive player who immediately returns inbounds after going out of bounds due to contact by an opponent (A.R. 7-3-4:III)]. If he touches the pass before returning in bounds, it is an incomplete pass (Rule 7-3-7) and not a foul for illegal touching.
It is extremely close but it does look like Williams stepped out of bounds. The officials said he did so on his own and that means he can’t be the first one to touch the ball.
However, the Utah State defender put his hand on Williams and another argument can be made that Williams was forced out, but the touching came early enough in the play which is why the catch was called off.
This was a tough call to make and it is amplified since it came on the final play of the game and the result of the game was decided on a yellow flag tossed on the field. After looking at it a few times it does appear the right call was made.
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