What I noticed at the game

[Rog]

Early, when the game was one the line, most if not all the ref's calls were against Minnesota. Later in the game, when Mich had the game in control, all or most of the ref's calls were against Michigan . Kind of balancing it out. STRANGE!

 

[e.bigelow]

Early, when the game was one the line, most if not all the ref's calls were against Minnesota. Later in the game, when Mich had the game in control, all or most of the ref's calls were against Michigan . Kind of balancing it out. STRANGE!

I hate to be a guy to complain about referee calls and usually never do, but I felt the EXACT same way. I think what made me so upset about it is that the Michigan Fans that were sitting around me felt that all those calls were so obvious in there favor. Almost like, since they are "Michigan", they are entitled to those calls. It was ridiculous.

We did get some calls from the refs, but your right, we got some bunk calls when the game was almost out of reach for us and a Michigan victory was assured.

I guess really it is on us as a team to just play better. In no way am I saying that is why we lost the game, we lost the game because our offense stalled numerous times in the red zone. But, I do really feel that the calls that could have either been "no-calls" or gone either way always went in Michigan's favor.

But, the game is over and I am done ranting about it. So, hopefully we go into Illinios and beat them handily! Go Gopher!

 

[Gopher Bandanna Guy]

Agree that the game certainly had that 'feel' with the way calls went, but I never can differentiate if that is reality or just my unwavering bias seeping through. I usually suspect the latter.

More than the ref's calls though, it seemed to me like Limegrover's playcalling got desparate and gimmicky at all the wrong moments.

 

[MNVCGUY]

It has been disussed in another thread and I have some pretty strong feelings on the subject but to simplify things I will put it this way.

The fans of the winning team rarely have any gripes with the officiating. Those complaints always seem to come from the side that loses, and it is that way across all levels of sports from youth to professional.

 

[John Galt]

There were two really bad calls that changed the momentum of the game:

1. Pass interference call on Shabazz in the end zone on 3rd down late in the second quarter. His head was turned and he was going up to make a play on the ball. TERRIBLE call. That was the difference between being down 10-7 vs. 14-7 at the half.

2. Michael Carter pass interference call midway through the 3rd quarter. Michigan was backed up deep after the fake field goal, and it was another 3rd down play if I remember correctly. Take that call away, and we get the ball back with good field position down 7.

 

[e.bigelow]

There were two really bad calls that changed the momentum of the game:

1. Pass interference call on Shabazz in the end zone on 3rd down late in the second quarter. His head was turned and he was going up to make a play on the ball. TERRIBLE call. That was the difference between being down 10-7 vs. 14-7 at the half.

2. Michael Carter pass interference call midway through the 3rd quarter. Michigan was backed up deep after the fake field goal, and it was another 3rd down play if I remember correctly. Take that call away, and we get the ball back with good field position down 7.

+1,000,000 John Galt. These are the two I am referring to as well.

I went nuts on that Michael Carter P.I. call in the 3rd quarter.

 

[Go4Broke]

Complaining about bad calls is one of the reasons people watch sports. When their team loses they can come up a list of excuses to blame it on somebody else besides their players and coaches. It also gives them hope that the bad calls will go against their highly favored opponent during the next game.

Bad calls have always been part of every sport. The worst call I ever saw was when I had a goal taken away from me during an intramural broom ball game against the UMD football team several decades ago. I still haven't gotten over it. We would have one the game but for that call by the ref. There was no doubt in my mind the refs were favoring the football team during that game.

 

[Catechol]

There were two really bad calls that changed the momentum of the game:

1. Pass interference call on Shabazz in the end zone on 3rd down late in the second quarter. His head was turned and he was going up to make a play on the ball. TERRIBLE call. That was the difference between being down 10-7 vs. 14-7 at the half.

2. Michael Carter pass interference call midway through the 3rd quarter. Michigan was backed up deep after the fake field goal, and it was another 3rd down play if I remember correctly. Take that call away, and we get the ball back with good field position down 7.

If I remember correctly on the Shabazz call, although he was looking for the ball I believe he barred the receiver's arm so he was not able to reach up with both hands. So it didn't come out of nowhere. Don't recall the Carter play without seeing it. Gophers got a number of calls and the game wasn't decided by any means (it was more decided by poor clock management).

Poor PI calls seemed to be epidemic across the B1G on Saturday, not directed at any team. The MSU game ending call may have been the worst I've ever seen, at least in a critical game situation, as it should have been offensive PI if anything since the DB clearly had position on the ball and likely would have intercepted it.

 

[GophersInIowa]

If I remember correctly on the Shabazz call, although he was looking for the ball I believe he barred the receiver's arm so he was not able to reach up with both hands. So it didn't come out of nowhere. Don't recall the Carter play without seeing it. Gophers got a number of calls and the game wasn't decided by any means (it was more decided by poor clock management).

Poor PI calls seemed to be epidemic across the B1G on Saturday, not directed at any team. The MSU game ending call may have been the worst I've ever seen, at least in a critical game situation, as it should have been offensive PI if anything since the DB clearly had position on the ball and likely would have intercepted it.

Yes, that was really bad.

There was another one where a Nebraska player was called for a late hit out of bounds even though he was pushed in the back by a Michigan St. guy and he did everything he possible could to avoid the contact. It was brutal also, but I don't think it affected things that much as Michigan St. was already close to the goal line.

 

[MJGopher]

If I remember correctly on the Shabazz call, although he was looking for the ball I believe he barred the receiver's arm so he was not able to reach up with both hands. So it didn't come out of nowhere. Don't recall the Carter play without seeing it. Gophers got a number of calls and the game wasn't decided by any means (it was more decided by poor clock management).

Poor PI calls seemed to be epidemic across the B1G on Saturday, not directed at any team. The MSU game ending call may have been the worst I've ever seen, at least in a critical game situation, as it should have been offensive PI if anything since the DB clearly had position on the ball and likely would have intercepted it.

We will have to disagree with the Shabazz call. This happened right in front of us, and sure looked like both guys were trying to go up for the ball with one hand, but couldn't because they each were holding on to each other. To me it was a pretty obvious no-call (although it apparently wasn't obvious) as both players were looking back for the ball and hands on each other.

Definitely agree though that the 2 pass interference calls on Saturday were game changers. They didn't decide the game, but they definitely changed the situations.

 

[Troy McClure]

I went nuts over the PI call on Shabazz. It looked like a ticky-tack call from sec. 231 as Shabazz and the wr were hand fighting and the pass was a little long. However, the link below shows Shabazz had the wr's left arm blocked. I don't think it impacted the wr's ability to catch the ball since he wasn't going to get his left hand on that pass anyway, but maybe that is what the ref saw.

http://www.ctpost.com/sports/articl...rdner-lose-35-13-to-Michigan-4006070.php#next

Make-up calls happen all the time in football. We received quite a few on that 4th Q drive. Would have been nice to make scUM kick the FG there to make it 10-7, but it wasn't the key to the game. We need make more plays, especially in the red zone. Kicking 19 and 26 yard FG's aren't going to get it done.

 

[Catechol]

I went nuts over the PI call on Shabazz. It looked like a ticky-tack call from sec. 231 as Shabazz and the wr were hand fighting and the pass was a little long. However, the link below shows Shabazz had the wr's left arm blocked. I don't think it impacted the wr's ability to catch the ball since he wasn't going to get his left hand on that pass anyway, but maybe that is what the ref saw.

http://www.ctpost.com/sports/articl...rdner-lose-35-13-to-Michigan-4006070.php#next

That's the play I remember. He is facing away from the ball and holding the left arm down, mostly incidentally, but they are going to call that if they see the WR can't get both arms up. From the photo it looks like he wouldn't have caught it, but 1) they're not going to rule a ball uncatchable if the WR gets a hand on it, and 2) the arm holding could have impeded his upward momentum such that if he wasn't impeded, he would have jumped a few inches higher and could have caught it if he had both hands. Not a ticky tack call IMO, at least with the current stringent precedent for calling PI.

 

[RailBaronYarr]

I went nuts over the PI call on Shabazz. It looked like a ticky-tack call from sec. 231 as Shabazz and the wr were hand fighting and the pass was a little long. However, the link below shows Shabazz had the wr's left arm blocked. I don't think it impacted the wr's ability to catch the ball since he wasn't going to get his left hand on that pass anyway, but maybe that is what the ref saw.

http://www.ctpost.com/sports/articl...rdner-lose-35-13-to-Michigan-4006070.php#next

Make-up calls happen all the time in football. We received quite a few on that 4th Q drive. Would have been nice to make scUM kick the FG there to make it 10-7, but it wasn't the key to the game. We need make more plays, especially in the red zone. Kicking 19 and 26 yard FG's aren't going to get it done.

That picture proves nothing as the ball has already touched his hand and Shabazz's arm may just be there with Zeller bringing the arm up late. It's obvious his body position would not have made that catch possible anyway. Listen to the BTN guy during the replay "..you know I, ..it's subtle..." Crews notoriously side with the big time schools and even on that call he couldn't definitively see anything. big play resulting ina 4 point swing.

The call on Carter was absolute, total BS. Watching the BTN replay, they didn't even show it as they knew it was a terrible call. Replay 2nd and 8 deep in their own zone instead of a big gain on an eventual scoring drive. Frustrating.

 

[Catechol]

I think they need to loosen up on the PI calls overall, especially since they're tightening up so much (appropriately so) on late hits, head hits, and defenseless receiver hits. It seems like there's incentive now to just chuck it up because you're more likely to get a free 15 than an INT.

Speaking of unnecessary hits, people were commenting on the swipe on Barker last week heading into the end zone, but on the scramble TD the absolute leveling of the Mich WR by Wells came quite late, he took about 4 strides and showed no signs of letting up (i.e. it was too late to be considered a hit to dislodge the reception). Ref threw a flag but waved it off because he caught the TD, though probably should have still been flagged if they are trying to be more stringent on these borderline-late hits.

 

[RailBaronYarr]

I think they need to loosen up on the PI calls overall, especially since they're tightening up so much (appropriately so) on late hits, head hits, and defenseless receiver hits. It seems like there's incentive now to just chuck it up because you're more likely to get a free 15 than an INT.

Speaking of unnecessary hits, people were commenting on the swipe on Barker last week heading into the end zone, but on the scramble TD the absolute leveling of the Mich WR by Wells came quite late, he took about 4 strides and showed no signs of letting up (i.e. it was too late to be considered a hit to dislodge the reception). Ref threw a flag but waved it off because he caught the TD, though probably should have still been flagged if they are trying to be more stringent on these borderline-late hits.

Wells took exactly 2 steps from the moment the ball went in to the WR's arms before he hit him. The receiver had one foot planted on the ground when the ball entered his arms, then moved his feet for a total of 2.5 steps. It was not a late hit as players routinely have a hard time bringing in balls like that and I have seen MANY instances where players are pushed or hit well after they run in to the endzone or catch the ball. Watch the replay frame by frame on Youtube.

 

[HopHead]

What I noticed was the change in energy, mood and body language from the Gophers after 2nd big pass interference call. It was almost as if the team started to feel like there was no way they could win when they couldn't catch a break from the officials and they were outnumbered 18 to 11 on the field.

Or maybe that was just me projecting my emotions on them. I know that was the general sentiment of the people sitting in my section.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Wells took exactly 2 steps from the moment the ball went in to the WR's arms before he hit him. The receiver had one foot planted on the ground when the ball entered his arms, then moved his feet for a total of 2.5 steps. It was not a late hit as players routinely have a hard time bringing in balls like that and I have seen MANY instances where players are pushed or hit well after they run in to the endzone or catch the ball. Watch the replay frame by frame on Youtube.

Anyone that feels the hit on Barker was dirty but the play Wells made was perfectly fine needs to put down the kool-aid and check back into reality. Wells absolutely made a run at the guy late trying to dislodge the ball and I am shocked they picked up the flag in that situation.

 

[MNGoldenGophers1]

I noticed that the dance line was a bit out of sync in what was otherwise an excellent performance.

 

[Monty519]

Anyone that feels the hit on Barker was dirty but the play Wells made was perfectly fine needs to put down the kool-aid and check back into reality. Wells absolutely made a run at the guy late trying to dislodge the ball and I am shocked they picked up the flag in that situation.

Why would it be a flag for a late hit if, had the receiver lost the ball, it would have become an incomplete pass? If Dileo had bobbled it and dropped that ball from Wells' hit, they call that an incomplete, then we'd be talking about how he stuck with it and played all the way through.

The Barker hit wasn't dirty, but it's not the same situation either, as Barker was already in for the TD. If the guy had pulled the ball loose, it sill woulda been a TD cause he was running into the end zone and had already crossed it (similar to Barker's TD at Wisconsin.

 

[MNVCGUY]

Why would it be a flag for a late hit if, had the receiver lost the ball, it would have become an incomplete pass? If Dileo had bobbled it and dropped that ball from Wells' hit, they call that an incomplete, then we'd be talking about how he stuck with it and played all the way through.

The Barker hit wasn't dirty, but it's not the same situation either, as Barker was already in for the TD. If the guy had pulled the ball loose, it sill woulda been a TD cause he was running into the end zone and had already crossed it (similar to Barker's TD at Wisconsin.

Had the ball been knocked loose on the Wells hit the play would have been reviewed because the receiver had possesion and both feet down before he was hit. I agree that they are different plays but I think the play by Wells is far closer to being dirty than the one by the Purdue DB last week. I was just wondering if the Gopher fans that were crying foul on that play could look at the Wells play and say there was nothing wrong with it. Won't surprise me if they can do to seeing the world thorugh maroon and gold glasses.

 

[GophersInIowa]

Anyone that feels the hit on Barker was dirty but the play Wells made was perfectly fine needs to put down the kool-aid and check back into reality. Wells absolutely made a run at the guy late trying to dislodge the ball and I am shocked they picked up the flag in that situation.

I don't think either one of them was a penalty. If the ball comes out after the Wells hit, it's very well possible the play is called incomplete.

 

[RailBaronYarr]

I don't think either one of them was a penalty. If the ball comes out after the Wells hit, it's very well possible the play is called incomplete.

Exactly. And I was not claiming the hit on Barker was cheap.

 

[Rosemountian]

I didn't think there were many bad calls all day. I think there was one that I thought was questionable and zero I thought were bad