The Wisconsin Badgers are 2-1 this season and if they end up running the table on their schedule, they should have a major beef with the Pac-12 officials that called the Arizona State game, as they completely botched the final sequence of the game, handing the game to the Sun Devils.
The end of the game was a bizarre set of circumstances and now the Badgers are left with a loss and the feeling that they were robbed by the officials. According to ESPN.com, the Pac-12 "reprimanded" the officials that were on the field for the game on Saturday night, saying that the situation was "unusual" and that "additional sanctions against officials" could come down after the way they handled the end of the game between the two teams.
The mistake occurred after quarterback Joel Stave tried to get his team set up for a field goal that could have won the Badgers the game. Wisconsin was down by two in the game when the drive starter and they started moving down the field with about 1:36 left in the fourth quarter and then the team made it down into the redzone, where they were trying to position themselves to win the game on a field goal.
After snapping the ball with under 20 seconds left in the game, Stave took the snap and moved from the right hash mark into the middle of the field, a common play when quarterbacks try and get the ball to the middle part of the field for their kickers. Replays showed that Stave did bring his knee down, which should have ended the play, but after being knocked over by one of his own linemen, when he placed the ball down for the refs, Arizona State players went after it like it was a live ball, leaving the referees to completely screw things up, as they finally got the ball set, but time ran out.
The officials saw that the play was down and one signaled to the ground that it should have been over, but instead in the confusion they wasted even more time and the Badgers were never able to take another snap. The team chased after the officials as they ran off the field, but it was to no avail. If the team runs the table, they have some beef with the Pac-12.
