Texas Tech AD: Big 12 admitted to blown call in loss to Baylor

The Big 12 admitted that its officials made an incorrect call in the first overtime of No. 22 Baylor’s 33-30 double-overtime win over Texas Tech, according to Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt.

On the second play of the first overtime, Baylor center Jake Fruhmorgen was hit with a false start penalty for what the officials said was an illegal snap. On the play, Fruhmorgen must have thought his quarterback was lined up under center because he snapped the ball off his own backside instead of to QB Charlie Brewer, who was lined up in shotgun.

The ball fell to the turf and Texas Tech pounced on it for what looked like a fumble recovery. But the play was blown dead and Baylor was issued a five-yard penalty, wiping away TTU’s recovery. Two plays later, Baylor scored a touchdown to take the lead. Texas Tech would tie the score with a touchdown of its own, but Baylor ended up winning in the second overtime.

In a statement released Sunday, Hocutt said the Big 12 “confirmed that the ruling on the field of an illegal snap was incorrect.”

"It is important to state that we have been in constant communication with the Big 12 Conference office from the immediate end of the game and throughout Sunday regarding the Illegal Snap call in the first overtime,” Hocutt said.

"It has been confirmed that the ruling on the field of an Illegal Snap was incorrect. The play is not reviewable by rule because it is a dead ball judgement call by the official. I am confident that the Big 12 Conference will deal with the matter internally as they complete the review of the game in its entirety.”

Baylor running back JaMycal Hasty, left, scores past Texas Tech defensive back Douglas Coleman III, right, in overtime during a NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, in Waco, Texas. Baylor won 33-30. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)
Baylor beat Texas Tech 33-30 in double-overtime on Saturday in Waco to improve to 6-0. (Rod Aydelotte/Waco Tribune-Herald via AP)

According to the NCAA rulebook, an illegal snap occurs when the ball is touched by the opposing team during a snap or when the snapper “lifts or moves the ball forward before moving it backward to start the snap.”

Had the play been correctly called, Texas Tech would have been in position to win the game with a field goal or touchdown. Instead, Baylor’s offense stayed on the field and scored, creating a must-score situation for the Red Raiders just to keep the game alive.

Texas Tech dropped to 3-3 with the loss. On the other side, Baylor improved to 6-0 and moved up from No. 22 to No. 18 in the Associated Press Top 25.

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