For second year in a row, Big 12 admits Texas was helped by clock error
Saturday’s Red River Showdown was one for the ages as Oklahoma downed Texas 53-45 in quadruple overtime.
As it turns out, the game should have ended in regulation.
The Longhorns scored the game-tying touchdown with 14 seconds to play, forcing overtime. On Monday, the Big 12 admitted the officials had added 39 seconds to the clock earlier in the quarter.
After a review on a run by Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger, the game clock should have restarted at 5:57. Instead, it was set to 6:36.
That’s weird, right?
“Big 12 Conference football officials liaison Greg Burks acknowledges that a timing error did occur. The play clock should have been set to 5:57 after that play,” the Big 12 said in a statement, per CBS Sports.
It’s the second straight season in which Texas has been the beneficiary of time being added to the clock in the fourth quarter by Big 12 officials.
During the Longhorns’ 50-48 win over Kansas last year, Ehlinger rushed for a first down and the clock stopped to reset the chains. The official was supposed to restart the game clock but it didn’t happen until after Ehlinger snapped the ball, giving Texas more time.
As The Star’s Jesse Newell noted, Texas picked up 6 extra yards thanks to timing error and made a game-winning field goal to beat the Jayhawks.
The Big 12 later admitted a mistake had been made.
“The officials on the field should have noted that, reset it to 32 (seconds), and wound it on the signal,” Burks told The Star. “We did acknowledge that to Coach (Les) Miles and Kansas.”
