Syracuse took the lead late in the fourth quarter, but the margin of SU’s advantage was left up to the officials.

Though the Orange went on to defeat Toledo 33-30 in overtime, video replays of an extra point by kicker Ross Krautman were judged incorrectly.

Quarterback Ryan Nassib connected with wide receiver Alec Lemon for an 18-yard touchdown to give SU a 29-27 lead with 2:07 to go. Krautman’s extra point was ruled good by the officials on the field and the replay officials, but this was the improper call.

Video replays from cameras along the Syracuse sideline indicate that Krautman’s kick crossed in front of the left upright, obscuring the goalpost momentarily. This means the kick had to have been wide, since the ball passed between the camera and the upright.

The Big East issued the following statement after the game:

‘After studying the videos of the Syracuse extra point attempt at 2:07 of the fourth quarter, we have concluded that the ruling on the field that the kick passed between the uprights was incorrect, and that the replay official made an error in failing to reverse that ruling,’ Big East Conference coordinator of football officiating Terry McAulay said in a statement. ‘In reviewing the video, we have determined that the angle from behind the kicking team shows conclusively that the ball passes outside the right upright.

‘Our review of the process determined that the replay official mistakenly focused his attention on the sideline angle, which proved to be distorted. We are confident that our officiating staff will learn from this situation in order to prevent a reoccurrence.’

The review during the game didn’t change the call, and Krautman’s point after was ruled good. This gave Syracuse a 30-27 lead.

After the game, Krautman was positive that his kick went through the uprights.

‘It definitely went through,’ he said. ‘I was nervous though when they reviewed it. I knew it just sneaked through, but when they said they were reviewing it I was a little nervous.’

On the sidelines, Toledo head coach Tim Beckman heard from his coaches upstairs that the kick was ‘a little bit off to the left.’ But the call was upheld by the replay officials.

The Rockets responded by driving down the field and tying the game 30-30 as time expired to force overtime.

However, the Orange won in the first extra session after Kevyn Scott intercepted a pass and Krautman hit a game-winning field goal.

Beckman, though, didn’t seem bitter. Instead, he said all that would have been avoided had his Rockets defense not given up a touchdown in the first place.

‘When you come into these games, you learn as a team and coaching staff that it’s us against the world,’ Beckman said. ‘We have to make sure we don’t give the touchdown up, so they can’t kick that PAT.’

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Published on September 23, 2011 at 12:00 pm