Central Michigan stuns Oklahoma State with Hail Mary lateral after referee error

This is an ending that the fans in Stillwater, Okla., won’t soon forget.

Unfortunately for the home crowd, Oklahoma State lost to Central Michigan on the final play of the game on an amazing play.

Unbelievable indeed.

But what makes Central Michigan’s 30-27 victory even more painful for Cowboys fans: the play should never have happened.

The Associated Press reported that the referee admitted that Central Michigan should not have been given the play.

This is from the AP story:

Oklahoma State was penalized for intentional grounding on its final offensive play, which is a loss of down penalty. Rules state that the game cannot end on an accepted live-ball penalty, referee Tim O’Dey of the Mid-American Conference, CMU’s league, said.

“There’s an exception to the rule that says if enforcement of the foul involves a loss of down, then that brings the game to an end,” O’Dey told a pool reporter after the game.

He said after conferring with the national rules editor, officials determined the “extension should not have happened.”

This story was originally published September 10, 2016 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Central Michigan stuns Oklahoma State with Hail Mary lateral after referee error."