The Big 12 has not had a stellar officiating season.
On Saturday, the Big 12 admitted that its officiating crew incorrectly awarded a touchdown to #8 BYU in the first quarter of its game against Arizona State.
The Cougars won by one touchdown, 27-20.
“Replay was incorrect in awarding a score,” the Big 12 said in a statement, per ESPN’s Max Olson. “The correct ruling should have been BYU ball for a third-and-goal from the 2-yard line.”
The controversy occurred when BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier fumbled on a second-and-goal play from the Arizona State 1-yard line. Cougars running back Sione Moa recovered the fumble at the 2-yard line and ran it in for the score.
However, according to college football rules, specifically Rule 12-3-3-d-2, which states, 'If the replay official rules that the ball was not dead, it belongs to the recovering team at the spot of the recovery and any advance is nullified.’
Although replay officials reviewed the play multiple times, the crew still awarded BYU the touchdown.
NEW: The Big 12 has admitted to an incorrect ruling on replay review in the BYU-Arizona State game:
— On3 (@On3) November 1, 2026
“At 11:27 in the first period of the Arizona State-BYU game, Big 12 Replay Officials stopped the game to review possession by BYU. The play showed that the runner lost possession…
Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham, who knew the rule, argued vociferously with officials and voiced his displeasure after the loss.
“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.”
Dillingham was clearly correct, but no matter. His team’s upset bid over the #8 team in the country was severely harmed by the ruling, and BYU potentially avoided back-to-back losses to unranked teams.
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