Big 12 Admits Replay Error Gave BYU Touchdown in Arizona State Loss

The Big 12 Conference acknowledged on Saturday that a replay review error awarded a touchdown to BYU during its 27-20 victory over Arizona State. The mistake occurred in the first quarter and resulted in a score that the conference now says should have been a third down.

BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier attempted to run from the one-yard line. He fumbled the ball, and teammate Sione Moa recovered it to score. Officials initially ruled Bachmeier down short of the goal line. The replay team then determined that a fumble occurred, and a second review confirmed Moa had scored the touchdown.

The error stemmed from a rule regarding ball advancement after a whistle. The Big 12 cited Rule 12-3-3-d-2 in a statement released on Sunday. The statement said replay was incorrect in awarding a score. The correct ruling, according to the conference, should have been a third-and-goal situation from the two-yard line.

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham voiced his frustration with the decision immediately after the play and again in postgame interviews. He noted that while players can recover the ball after a whistle, it does not count as a clear advancement. Dillingham said the ball should have been spotted at the three-yard line.

"I was trying to argue that he does have the right to recover it post-whistle, but that’s not a clear advancement, which means the ball should be at the 3," Dillingham said. "Obviously, that wasn’t what happened. It’s not the officials’ fault. Those officials don’t have say in that. That’s all back home."

BYU, now ranked No. 7 and with a 4-1 conference record, has faced inconsistent officiating recently. The Cougars beat Notre Dame 28-24 in a game where potential pass interference on the final play went uncalled. That sequence occurred because an extra second ran off the game clock. The team then lost to UCF 31-39 in double overtime, a game that included a 10-second runoff for a helmet removal and a disputed penalty against the kicker.

The Big 12 statement confirmed the mistake but did not indicate any change to the final score. The result remains a win for BYU, which improved its record to 7-1 overall.