Conference confirms mistake and promises review
The Big 12 issued a blunt statement on Sunday acknowledging that its replay center failed to intervene on the final play of BYU’s 28-24 victory over Notre Dame, and that one second should have remained on the game clock following an incomplete pass. The conference said the replay officiating crew "incorrectly cleared" the play and added it will "conduct a complete review of the end-of-game officiating process in advance of next week’s games."
The admission comes after several replays of the closing sequence showed the ball hitting the turf with one second on the clock at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Notre Dame’s loss to BYU — the Fighting Irish’s first defeat of the season — ended with the ball on the ground and the clock running out, sealing BYU’s upset.
How the final play unfolded
With Notre Dame facing first-and-goal at the BYU 8 and four seconds on the clock, quarterback CJ Carr launched a pass to Jaden Greathouse in the end zone. BYU defenders prevented Greathouse from securing the catch and the ball landed on the turf. Television replays showed the play concluding with one second still on the stadium clock.
Former NFL referee and NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay wrote on social media that "there was indeed :01 on the bug clock when the pass hit the ground (BYU/ND). Replay should have reviewed to determine if the in-stadium clock was at :01 at that point and if so, ND would have had one more play." The Big 12’s statement echoed that assessment by acknowledging the replay center was wrong not to intervene.
NFL insider Ari Meirov also posted the replay to social media, drawing attention to the apparent extra second and the missed intervention. Yahoo! News noted that no pass interference was called on the play and suggested there could have been a penalty on the sequence, a point that was not adjudicated on the field.
Immediate consequences and remaining questions
The immediate result — BYU’s 28-24 win — stands as the official outcome. The Big 12’s confirmation, however, raises questions about process and protocol: replay officials did not stop play to determine whether the in-stadium clock showed one second remaining, and the conference has acknowledged that should have happened.
Had the second been restored, Notre Dame would have had an additional opportunity from the BYU 8-yard line with the potential to change the result. That scenario remains hypothetical, but the conference’s promise of a "complete review of the end-of-game officiating process" signals the league is treating the matter as a procedural failure that requires corrective action before teams return to play next week.
