Why Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith's TD counted vs. Michigan after review for weird touchback originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In the end, Ohio State superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith got a great birthday present.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBuckeyes QB Julian Sayin hit Smith over the top down the right sideline. Smith hauled it in and crossed into the end zone, touchdown.
But the play went to review, because there was a question over control of the football.
As the Fox broadcast looked at replays, they wondered if it would instead be called a touchback.
There was a moment where Smith didn't have control of the football, and his foot landed out of bounds in the end zone at that point.
It had the potential to essentially be called a fumble out of the end zone, which would be a touchback, not a touchdown.
But the call was "upheld," according to referee Kole Knueppel, and the Buckeyes had their touchdown to go up 10-6.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhy did Jeremiah Smith TD stand, not get overturned to touchback?
The call on the field was likely crucial here.
It was hard to get definitive replay evidence that Smith hadn't been across the plane of the end zone with control of the ball.
All he needs is to be over the line for a millisecond with control of the ball, since he had already been running with it.
College officials don't reveal whether a call "stands" (not evidence to overturn) or is "confirmed" (evidence that the call was right). All we know is it was upheld, and Ohio State had their TD.
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