The greatest play that shouldn’t have happened

A lot can happen in six seconds. A car crash, a prison stabbing, a Kardashian marriage – oh… and one of the most controversial plays in NCAA Football history.

If you live anywhere but under a massive rock, you’ve probably heard about Miami’s miracle last minute play against Duke. In that last six seconds, Miami pulled off an 8 Lateral, 50 second, and at one point, 96 yard kick return for what just might be one of the greatest comeback victories in college sports history. I’m talking “30 for 30” worthy.

What makes this story even more movie-worthy was the value of that win for Miami as a football program. Not only was their ACC record on the line, the morale of the team in general was contingent upon this game.

After suffering the worst loss in school history to the ACC powerhouse that is Clemson, 58-0, their head coach Al Golden was fired, leaving the team without an experienced leader.

Not only that, but two key players were definitely not going to play in that game, due to their starting QB suffering a concussion during the Clemson game and one of their Defensive Tackles getting arrested for domestic violence

To win in such an amazing fashion was almost the perfect storybook ending to what was a terrible, terrible week.

I say almost because, THE PLAY SHOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

There were at least three potential flags during the kickoff return that could’ve called the touchdown back and give Duke the win, but sadly none of these were spotted by the refs.

Now I’m not saying officiating college football is an easy task, but when you deliberate for nine whole minutes over the replay and miss things like this:

or THIS:

…questions need to be asked. Questions like “Where are your glasses?” or “Were you watching the game?” .

This is just unacceptable. There shouldn’t even have been a need for the replay because if you look closely at this still frame, not only can you see the player’s knee down with possession of the ball, YOU CAN SEE THE REF DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE FUCKING GUY.

You know it’s bad when the ACC itself explicitly said that Duke should have won.

Now, I commend the Miami team for fighting through such a tough week to give us a game that went down to the wire. What I don’t commend is their response to the overwhelming consensus that they actually lost that game.

Such terrible officiating did not go unpunished, thankfully, as all of the refs were recently suspended. But it’s just too little too late.

According to the NCAA rule book, all scores are final, and they won’t consider rescinding the touchdown even though there is irrefutable evidence that proves the play should’ve been stopped.

The NCAA’s reasoning is because there hasn’t been a precedent for this type of situation. But shouldn’t the point be to set a precedent in the first place?

Your reasoning for not doing something that hasn’t been done before, can’t be because it hasn’t been done before. They’re basically saying we won’t set this precedent because it’s unprecedented.

Bull. Shit.

If anything this should fire us up for what is now the most important game of the season: the UNC game.

This game is played every year either at Duke or UNC and the winner takes home the prized Victory Bell.

If I was a Duke Football player right now I’d be angry – correction, I’d be PISSED about the last game and I’d take out all of my aggression on this year’s UNC football team.

People were already saying this is the best these two teams have been in approximately 70 years, and now with both of our ACC championship births on the line, it’s safe to say I haven’t been this excited for a football game in a while.

All in all our record says 6-2, but we’re really 7-1, and UNC is about to eat shit this Saturday.

GTHC.