Pac-12 acknowledges blown call during Washington State’s win

The entire officiating crew has been downgraded for an error in Washington State's win over Arizona State, and the line judge has been suspended for the next game.

BY ERIC MANDEL

Nov 8, 2015, 2:16 PM Updated: 2:38 pm

Follow on Google News

Washington State benefited from an officiating error during their 38-24 win over Arizona State on Saturday. (AP)

(AP)

The Pac-12 suspended an official working Washington State’s 38-24 win over Arizona State Saturday for a costly error that led to a touchdown.

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott acknowledged an error during the second quarter of the game, when the Cougars completed a fourth-down pass and receiver Gabe Marks’ forward progress appeared to have been stopped short of a first down, but a whistle blew the play dead.

Line judge Rich Troyer indicated it was an inadvertent whistle. By NCAA rule 4-1-2-b-1, due to an inadvertent whistle, when the ball is in player possession, then the team in possession may elect to put the ball in play where declared dead or repeat the down. Washington State elected to repeat the down and subsequently scored a touchdown on the next play.

The Pac-12 reviewed the play and determined it should have been stopped at the point when the whistle blew, as forward progress was stopped short of the first down. The ball should have been turned over to Arizona State on downs. As a result, Scott said the officiating crew erred in ruling it a whistle and not officiating the initial whistle as the end of the play.

The entire officiating crew has been downgraded for the error and Troyer has been suspended for the next game.