Indiana/Michigan

[FTVMartin]

I am a Michigan fan but I still think it was a simultaneous catch and should have been Indiana's ball.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by FTVMartin

I am a Michigan fan but I still think it was a simultaneous catch and should have been Indiana's ball.

I am glad the call went the way it did, but I was surprised that the call initially resulted in an interception. It appeared the umpire ruled the catch an interception and after the officials got together no one had a better angle. The TV angles showed the back of the players (that I saw after getting home 10 hours later).

Peace

I saw the play while sitting in the bar, harming my liver before attending the Nebraska game, and was stunned that the ruling was an interception. Even after the replays, I still couldn't figure out how the original ruling on the field was an interception. My friends (non-officials) asked me why I was stunned by it, and after explaining the rule, they all watched the replay and wondered alike.

[mikesears]

Any video of the play?

[voiceoflg]

Originally Posted by mikesears

Any video of the play?

YouTube - 2009: Michigan-36 Indiana-33

9:20 in.

[TXMike]

Another video

YouTube - Not an INT: Michigan vs. Indiana 2009


Yet another reason why umpires should not be ruling on passes. ;-)

And this is a Michigan fan's take on it, with still photos:
A Picture Story... Donovan Warren's Game SealingPick - Maize n Brew

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

I saw the play while sitting in the bar, harming my liver before attending the Nebraska game, and was stunned that the ruling was an interception.

Isn't this the state pastime, or motto, or something like that?

[Theisey]

By the book, this is not a simultaneous catch as both players did not return to the ground at the same time..

Replay Official might have been able to overturn the ruling on the field if there was a camera angle or two from the opposite side. Unfortunately, there wasn't any such view. If anything he could have reminded the Referee that the Indiana player came down to the ground first... and if he had the ball, this could not have been a Simul-Catch. However, maybe he cannot even suggest that? I just don't know.

[w_sohl]

said the player that first returns to the ground is considered to have possesion over the player to second return to the ground. It apparently isn't considered a simultaneous catch unless both players return to the ground at nearly the same moment.

[bisonlj]

Returning to the ground implies that they left the ground in the first place. Neither player was airborne when the ball was caught. My opinion was simultaneous catch.

Originally Posted by mbyron

Isn't this the state pastime, or motto, or something like that?

On a football Saturday in Lincoln, yes it is! LOL. Last Saturday was more of a joyous occasion, as the Huskers were celebrating their 300th consecutive sellout, so more of us were doing more harming than usual.

As for the OP, I talked with a couple locals who work at the college level. They still are confused by watching all the replays on this catch at how the original call was made. They've even gone back in their books, looking at the rules and case plays, etc. Hopefully one of them will enlighten me sometimes later this week.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch

On a football Saturday in Lincoln, yes it is! LOL. Last Saturday was more of a joyous occasion, as the Huskers were celebrating their 300th consecutive sellout, so more of us were doing more harming than usual.

I heard that when the stadium is full it becomes the 3rd largest population center in Nebraska, surpassing Bellevue. True?

Originally Posted by mbyron

I heard that when the stadium is full it becomes the 3rd largest population center in Nebraska, surpassing Bellevue. True?

Yup, true. Matter of fact, the other night, there was enough people in the place that not only would it have been the 3rd largest population center in Nebraska, but the number would have almost equaled the populations of Bellevue and Grand Island (the 4th largest city) combined.