The ACC will reportedly suspend a side judge for a pivotal blown offsides call in last week’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish victory over the Cal-Berkeley Golden Bears.
From ESPN play-by-play broadcast Roxy Bernstein:
https://twitter.com/roxybernstein/status/1573707103167860736?s=46&t=FG959IGTLFGhcZXimGIxtA
“According to sources, ACC has suspended side judge from last Saturday Cal at Notre Dame who called Cal for being offside on this play,” Bernstein wrote. “ACC apologized to Cal for error and admitted was [a] bad call. As of now, they don’t plan on making public acknowledgment of error and punishment.”
The call happened early in the second quarter with Notre Dame in a fourth-and-five situation on the Cal 30-yard-line with the Golden Bears leading 7-0. Irish kicker Blake Grupe missed the 45-yard field goal, but the Irish were bailed out with a phantom offsides call against Cal linebacker Kyle Smith.
Irish quarterback Drew Pyne threw a 21-yard touchdown pass two plays later to tie the game.
The college football world was quick to react to the news that was of no aid to the Golden Bears:
Can we take those 7 points off the board and go to overtime? Didn't think so. Thanks for the apology, though. That means a lot. 😂 https://t.co/y2YUTYMGYc
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) September 24, 2022
“Can we take those 7 points off the board and go to overtime?” asked Michael Silver. “Didn’t think so. Thanks for the apology, though. That means a lot.”
Oh no. Cal football was the victim of a bad call? That's terrible. #whatgoesaroundcomesaround https://t.co/CZXFjLGc1y
— COFIELD (@stevecofield) September 24, 2022
“Oh no. Cal football was the victim of a bad call? That’s terrible,” said Steve Cofield.
Translation: Cal actually beat Notre Dame. https://t.co/U2NdeN1v11
— eric spillman (@ericspillman) September 24, 2022
“Translation: Cal actually beat Notre Dame,” Eric Spillman tweeted.
ACC scared of Pac-12 confirmed https://t.co/NN7TpzNeBU
— kwade (@KwadeSays) September 24, 2022
“ACC scared of Pac-12 confirmed,” said Kevin Wade.
Your ACC refs @mcclureWX https://t.co/rqGywPkmAt
— Mike Clay (@Mike_Clay) September 24, 2022
“Your ACC refs,” said Mike Clay.
— Evan A. (@TwoSeamGripe) September 24, 2022
“Ah,” another user said.
Cal is next in action Saturday when it hosts the University of Arizona Wildcats. On Saturday, Notre Dame is also in action when it travels to Raleigh to face the North Carolina Tarheels.
