The Big Ten confirmed Sunday that its officials placed the football at the wrong spot on Oregon's two-point conversion attempt that would have tied the game late in Saturday's 17-15 home loss to UCLA, according to www.espn.com - TOP.
The conference said it would "continue to emphasize consistent application of the playing rules," a statement reported by www.espn.com - TOP. The acknowledgment came one day after the Ducks fell to the Bruins by two points at home, a margin that matched the value of the conversion try in question.
The admission places the Big Ten in the position of confirming a game-altering officiating error after the result had already been recorded. For Oregon, the difference between a successful conversion and the failed attempt proved decisive in a contest decided by a single possession.
The conference's pledge to stress consistency in applying playing rules signals that the matter is being treated as a point of emphasis going forward, though the Big Ten did not indicate whether any further action would follow. The loss stands as recorded, with the officiating review arriving after the final whistle.
