Beavers fall to Huskies in controversial ending
Pictured above is Husky Stadium, where the controversial game took place.
On this past Saturday, November 14th, the Oregon State Beavers had a chance to beat the Washington Huskies for the first time in 35 years.
However, the Beaver’s dreams of victory were ripped away during their final drive of the game because of a failed attempt on a 4th down conversion. The controversy of the situation was as follows: Late in the fourth quarter, Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State running back, was spotted as down prior to the 1st down marker.
The play was photographed by college football reporter, Chris Vannini, while it streamed over television.
This play call not only determined the drive–but outcome of the game itself.
Beaver fans claim the refs measured the ball at an inaccurate point, and if the officials had placed the ball at the exact spot it was when Jefferson got tackled, he would have made the 1st down.
If the Beavers had continued on to score, it would have secured them the lead, and most likely the victory. In reality, due to the failed conversion ruling, the Huskies were able to come out victorious with a 27-21 win for the 35th consecutive year.
For Cameron Little, a die-hard Oregon State fan, this was a blow. “I think the refs did a bad job, and that they should’ve reviewed the spot. I think the game would have had a different outcome if they had done a better job.”
He described that when the refs have enough power to decide the final outcome of a game, and, worse call the game inaccurately, he feels as if it legitimizes the end result.
In the case presented, if the refs had reviewed the spot and deemed it a 1st down, would the Beavers have won? Would both the Beavers and Huskies come out of the game with matching 1-1 records?
Regardless, the play was not reviewed, and the Beavers are heading into their third week of the shortened Pac-12 schedule with a 0-2 record–the Huskies with a record of 1-0.