Why wasn't the Texas TD reviewed??

[JasonTX]

We can go on and on about how Texas got away with a freebie, but I'll admit at full speed I thought that was a bang bang play on Youngs backwards pass. Certainly too close to call him down on the field. But that play had no bearing on the outcome of the game. As good as Young was playing, Texas would have likely scored on the next play anyways. Besides that USC overcame that and drove the field on their next possesion. As we all look at this game we can point out other things that were missed. I thought Bush should have been called for his high stepping into the end zone. That timeout USC called on the 2pt conversion and the fumbles that UT had were way more costly than any errors the officials made. Champions overcome any errors that officials make.

[MJT]

Originally posted by Bob M.
REPLY: If anyone has the tape, look at the Bush backward pass/fumble again. I believe that as he was letting the ball go it 'ticked' off of a Texas player's helmet and moved ever so slightly forward as a result.

Ok Bob, so if he had just let it go, and it was BW, and then it hits a helmet and goes FW, we are fine cuz the ball left his hand with an initial BW directions. I would assume that if he trying to toss it BW's but his hand gets hit so when he releases it, the ball goes FW, that we would have an IFP. Would you guys agree with that?

[WhistlesAndStripes]

Originally posted by MJT

Ok Bob, so if he had just let it go, and it was BW, and then it hits a helmet and goes FW, we are fine cuz the ball left his hand with an initial BW directions. I would assume that if he trying to toss it BW's but his hand gets hit so when he releases it, the ball goes FW, that we would have an IFP. Would you guys agree with that?

I haven't seen the game in it's entirety yet, but will check it out sometime in the next couple days and get back to ya.

[Theisey]

Originally posted by MJT

Ok Bob, so if he had just let it go, and it was BW, and then it hits a helmet and goes FW, we are fine cuz the ball left his hand with an initial BW directions. I would assume that if he trying to toss it BW's but his hand gets hit so when he releases it, the ball goes FW, that we would have an IFP. Would you guys agree with that?

Not comfortable with your terminology of using "initial BW direction".

What matters is the spot where passer let the ball go and its relation to where it first touches "anything" beyond that spot. Translate "anything" to mean any other player, the ground, official, etc... anything.

If the ball has stuck an opposing team player in the helmet, what matters then is was that point in front of the spot where the ball was released. If it was in front, no matter what direction the ball ricochets is not relevant as the pass is by definition a forward pass.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by MJT
It should have been reviewed and probably overturned. That was huge! Ball on 8 yard line, or TD.

The play was not reviewed because there was an equipment malfunction and they were unable to correct it before Texas kicked the PAT.

Report: Faulty monitor prevented key review

PASADENA, Calif. - The first touchdown scored by the Texas Longhorns in Wednesday's Rose Bowl was not reviewed reportedly because of a malfunctioning monitor that prevented the replay crew from seeing the necessary angles to stop play.

According to USA TODAY, Dave Parry, the national coordinator for NCAA football officiating, said a problem with one of the monitors temporarily limited the replay officials to the same image shown on the screen beyond one of the end zones.

Texas quarterback Vince Young appeared to have a knee touch the ground before he lateraled by tailback Selvin Young for a 12-yard touchdown run to give Texas a 9-7 lead over USC with 4:57 to go in the second quarter.

"They didn't get the time to see the views ABC provided," Parry told USA TODAY at halftime. "It should have been reviewed."

The Texas-USC game was the first Bowl Championship Series title game to use replay.

Parry told USA TODAY the malfunction compounded an already complex challenge for the replay crew on the touchdown play. He said there were three issues being examined: Whether Vince Young's lateral was forward, and therefore illegal; whether the ball was out of his hand before a knee touched the ground; and whether Selvin Young stepped out of bounds.

Texas was able to snap the ball for the conversion attempt before the replay crew was able to stop the game.