Sports

College football

C-USA says officials erred on Iowa onside kick penalty

The call negated a Hawkeyes recovery and chance at a tying touchdown against the Gators in the Outback Bowl.

Compiled from staff and wire reports
Published January 5, 2006

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Shortly after Florida's 31-24 win over Iowa in Monday's Outback Bowl, coach Urban Meyer expressed his concern about a controversial call late in the game that negated Iowa's recovered onside kick and sealed the win for the Gators.

"I hope they were offside," Meyer said. "To make a call like that, I didn't see it, but I thought it was a tough call."

Turns out, it was the wrong call.

A Conference USA official said league referees made a mistake when they flagged Iowa's Chad Greenway for being offside late in the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium.

Down by seven with 1:24 left, Iowa's Scott Chandler recovered an onside kick that would have given the Hawkeyes a chance for a game-tying drive. But Greenway was flagged for crossing the 35 before the ball was kicked.

Television replays showed Greenway behind the line of scrimmage when kicker Kyle Schlicher's foot hit the ball. Florida recovered the ensuing kickoff and ran out the clock for a 31-24 win.

C-USA coordinator of officials Gerald Austin released a statement after calls from the Des Moines Register saying the offside penalty was one of five Outback Bowl plays under review by the league.

"Out of approximately 175 plays in this game, we have five under specific review including an important call at the end of the game," Austin said. "We do teach our officials that toward the end of the game, the calls should clearly be a foul. In this case, the onside kickoff call was too technical and should not have been made."

The admission has no impact on the game's outcome.

"Errors in officiating occur in all sports at all levels," Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said in a statement Wednesday. "The University of Florida has certainly been on both sides of this conversation as most teams have."

NCAA officials said Wednesday afternoon that the organization's licensing committee, along with three Division I-A supervisors of officials, are responsible for assigning game crews. The officials are chosen after the teams are announced for each bowl and the committee selects crews taking into consideration issues such as conflict of interest and impartiality. Crews are not allowed to officiate games involving their own conference. Individual conferences determine the crew members.

NCAA football managing director Dennis Poppe said the penalty in the Outback Bowl, along with a questionable call at the end of the Alamo Bowl between Nebraska and Michigan caused the NCAA to review its crew selection and protocol process. The issues will be put on the agenda for the NCAA's spring meetings.

Iowa athletic director Bob Bowlsby told the Register that while there is no recourse for the Hawkeyes he believes the controversy should lead to a review of the procedures.

"When you see a crew that was obviously over their head in our game and obviously over their head in Michigan-Nebraska game, it will stimulate a lot of discussion," Bowlsby said.

Times staff writer Antonya English contributed to this report.

[Last modified January 5, 2006, 01:18:19]