Three games with OSU, three huge ref calls that went OSU's way.

[Schnauzer]

Before I even type this, I know MN fans and we tend to like to argue with each other more than with opposing fans, and I'm sure there will be plenty of "yeah but..." comments about other calls in each of these three games and how these things even out. That being said, all three of these happened at critical times and they will always be in my "what if" bin of memories. Is it irony all three bad calls went OSU's way? It is tough enough to beat teams with that level of talent under normal conditions. When they are getting calls like this, it is impossible. I normally don't bitch about reffing. I am making an exception here because all three went in favor of the B1G's golden child.

Example 1. (and this one is the most egregious, in my opinion). In a scoreless game late in the first half, Mitch Leidner is hit in the facemask/jaw by the crown of the helmet of a blitzing OSU linebacker. The refs immediately throw the targeting flags. It goes under review and the review is HUGE because the result of the play was a pick-6. After review, the flags are picked up and the result of the play stands. The refs actually reviewed themselves OUT of the correct call that had been made on the field.

New video clip shows Perry's helmet hitting Leidner's facemask

A new video of the controversial hit from Saturday's game, which was originally called targeting.

www.startribune.com

Example 2. In the next meeting, the plucky Gophers were hanging tough, nursing a 7-3 lead against the 20+ point favorite Buckeyes late in the first quarter. Near midfield OSU went for it on a fourth and 2. The run was stuffed short and despite being obviously short to anyone watching (including Ohio media), the refs gifted the first down, and of course you know what happened on the very next play (TD Pass and back in the lead for OSU). Fleck should have challenged, but better yet, the correct call should have been made on the field, which would have handed the ball back to the Gophers, riding high with momentum with the ball at midfield, with a lead.

Why didn't Minnesota challenge a fourth-down run by Ohio State's Mike Weber?

The first-quarter run looked close but wasn't reviewed, and Ohio State threw a touchdown pass on the next play. Here's what Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said about it.

www.cleveland.com

Example 3. Last Thursday, not one but two controversial non-targeting calls - the second of which is still making the rounds by college football fans all around the country.

Calls officials didn't make have Gophers waiting for Big Ten's explanation

Coach P.J. Fleck forwarded clips of two possible targeting plays that were disputed Thursday in the loss to Ohio State.

www.startribune.com

Video: Controversial missed targeting call in Minnesota-Ohio State game

Many fans watching Thursday night's Minnesota-Ohio State game couldn't believe that the officials missed a targeting penalty call late in the game. Ohio

larrybrownsports.com

Frustrating and worse yet, causes one to question the integrity of the game a bit when it happens three games in a row with the same opponent.

 

[FormerFatOL]

Before I even type this, I know MN fans and we tend to like to argue with each other more than with opposing fans, and I'm sure there will be plenty of "yeah but..." comments about other calls in each of these three games and how these things even out. That being said, all three of these happened at critical times and they will always be in my "what if" bin of memories. Is it irony all three bad calls went OSU's way? It is tough enough to beat teams with that level of talent under normal conditions. When they are getting calls like this, it is impossible. I normally don't bitch about reffing. I am making an exception here because all three went in favor of the B1G's golden child.

Example 1. (and this one is the most egregious, in my opinion). In a scoreless game late in the first half, Mitch Leidner is hit in the facemask/jaw by the crown of the helmet of a blitzing OSU linebacker. The refs immediately throw the targeting flags. It goes under review and the review is HUGE because the result of the play was a pick-6. After review, the flags are picked up and the result of the play stands. The refs actually reviewed themselves OUT of the correct call that had been made on the field.

New video clip shows Perry's helmet hitting Leidner's facemask

A new video of the controversial hit from Saturday's game, which was originally called targeting.

www.startribune.com

Example 2. In the next meeting, the plucky Gophers were hanging tough, nursing a 7-3 lead against the 20+ point favorite Buckeyes late in the first quarter. Near midfield OSU went for it on a fourth and 2. The run was stuffed short and despite being obviously short to anyone watching (including Ohio media), the refs gifted the first down, and of course you know what happened on the very next play (TD Pass and back in the lead for OSU). Fleck should have challenged, but better yet, the correct call should have been made on the field, which would have handed the ball back to the Gophers, riding high with momentum with the ball at midfield, with a lead.

Why didn't Minnesota challenge a fourth-down run by Ohio State's Mike Weber?

The first-quarter run looked close but wasn't reviewed, and Ohio State threw a touchdown pass on the next play. Here's what Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said about it.

www.cleveland.com

Example 3. Last Thursday, not one but two controversial non-targeting calls - the second of which is still making the rounds by college football fans all around the country.

Calls officials didn't make have Gophers waiting for Big Ten's explanation

Coach P.J. Fleck forwarded clips of two possible targeting plays that were disputed Thursday in the loss to Ohio State.

www.startribune.com

Video: Controversial missed targeting call in Minnesota-Ohio State game

Many fans watching Thursday night's Minnesota-Ohio State game couldn't believe that the officials missed a targeting penalty call late in the game. Ohio

larrybrownsports.com

Frustrating and worse yet, causes one to question the integrity of the game a bit when it happens three games in a row with the same opponent.

It's always fun reading the OSU fans claiming that it's not targeting.

I would LOVE to hear the excuse the booth officials used for not calling it targeting.

 

[stocker08]

I think around 95% of comments on that (non) targeting call agree that the refs blew it. I mean.....if they weren't going to call targeting......they've got to at least call the play an incomplete pass. Rewarding OSU for a dangerous play like that was a complete joke and virtually eliminated our chance at winning the game.

 

[FullBanana]

I think around 95% of comments on that (non) targeting call agree that the refs blew it. I mean.....if they weren't going to call targeting......they've got to at least call the play an incomplete pass. Rewarding OSU for a dangerous play like that was a complete joke and virtually eliminated our chance at winning the game.

I get where you’re coming from, but the fumble call was the correct call. The problem was the missed targeting. I don’t think they could arbitrarily not rule that a fumble.

 

[Gold Rush]

I get where you’re coming from, but the fumble call was the correct call. The problem was the missed targeting. I don’t think they could arbitrarily not rule that a fumble.

That is correct, If you do not rule that targeting (which of course it was - it knocked the man unconscious from a direct lead from the head) then you have to rule it a fumble. Thank God the game was already decided at this point - can you imagine how sickening this would have been if the Gophers were driving for a potential game winning TD???

 

[HoustonTXGopher]

And let's not forget the targeting, no it's not targeting that happened to Leidner that related in a pick six for OSU. I never really had any strong feelings for OSU one way or another, but I now despise everything about that university.

 

[noamfromm]

That is correct, If you do not rule that targeting (which of course it was - it knocked the man unconscious from a direct lead from the head) then you have to rule it a fumble. Thank God the game was already decided at this point - can you imagine how sickening this would have been if the Gophers were driving for a potential game winning TD???

I took umbrage with the tOSU's fans that said the MBS22 hit didn't matter in the end. We could have scored and kicked the onside kick. The game was still (tenuously) in the balance!

 

[stocker08]

I get where you’re coming from, but the fumble call was the correct call. The problem was the missed targeting. I don’t think they could arbitrarily not rule that a fumble.

I suppose. Personally think it was close enough where the refs could have ruled it incomplete as to not completely screw the call.

 

[Taji34]

While I do think there may be some bias to not call (implicit or otherwise), I do think what makes these calls stand out more is the fact that a team like OSU WILL capitalize on a call like this.

How many non-calls or bad calls have gone against the Gophers? Tons, but the only ones we remember are the ones where that led to a score, or took away a for-sure score on our side. The ones where we got a stop immediately and got the ball back, or broke a huge play an nullified the bad penalty, we largely forget.

What I will say is that the refs are inconsistent game to game, season to season, and conference to conference. Something there needs to fix that. Maybe refs are fined for particularly egregious calls (determined by an unbiased 3rd party)? Maybe there are more replay refs of the field watching the camera angles and there needs to be better consensus? IDK.