Washington State message boards nearly melted after the 38-31 loss to Oregon, and the outrage and conspiracy theories centered around a controversial noncall late in the fourth quarter.
The Cougs had 3rd and 14 at the Oregon 38 with 3:48 to play, and Connor Halliday took a shotgun snap to pass for the 63nd time.
The Ducks rushed five, and Arik Armstead pushed two blockers 7 yards deep into Halliday’s face and field of vision.
Halliday fired to Isiah Meyers down the right sideline on an out route. Dior Mathis closed quickly, mugging Meyers two full steps before the ball arrived.
There was no flag on the play, and when the Jumbotron played the cutaway of Mathis arriving early, the Cougar fans erupted in outrage. On fourth down Tony Washington sacked the WSU quarterback, the Ducks took over downs and drove to Washington 9, taking a knee on the last two plays of the game.
The call was absolutely correct. Watch the play frame by frame, and you’ll see Armstead leap in the air with his right hand and tip Halliday’s shot like the former 6-9 basketball center he was.
The ball flutters out to Meyers decidedly altered, part of the reason Mathis got there early.
A tipped ball is live, and no pass interference is possible. Mathis gestures the tip after the play and officials called it that way at the time, a detail that was missed by the game announcers on ESPN, reporters, WSU fans, and me.
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