A Series of Unfortunate Plays

BYU's loss last night to UCLA didn't feel like a loss nor did it look like a loss which is what makes the fact that it was a loss all the more galling. I've checked both the Deseret News and ESPN to see if they noticed the same things I did as to why BYU lost the game. They didn't. First off, ESPN made the claim that the game was over by halftime. Obviously they did not watch the same game I did. Second, no one made any mention that two of the three BYU turnovers were suspect to say the least. The replays killed me. On the replays, there is no indisputable evidence that either Vic So'oto or Max Hall fumbled. None. I was sure they would overturn both calls. But therein lies the problem. It all depended on how the referee called the play. For both fumbles, they called it a fumble which meant that for BYU to get the ball back, there had to be indisputable evidence that it was NOT a fumble. On the other hand, both replays that could have been in favor of BYU (Unga at the goalline and the possible pick) were called in such a way that BYU had to have indisputable evidence that the play did happen. This is a stunning statistic. Four replays were called. In all four instances, the initial call benefited UCLA on the field and there had to be evidence to overturn the play. All four. That's surprising to me. I generally think that each side benefits from blown calls, but if you think about the imapct this had on the game...if all four plays had been called on the field in favor of BYU, BYU would have sustained two long drives and would have returned an interception for a touchdown. In other words, erase three points for UCLA that resulted from the So'oto fumble and add seven to BYU, without speculating as to the end result of the two long BYU drives. The Hall "fumble" was the worst. Seriously. If Tom Brady didn't fumble back in 2001, then there is no way this is a fumble. His arm was coming forward. Simple as that. In the last 6 years, the quarterback inevitably gets the benefit of the doubt if he is even potentially in the act of throwing. Hall was throwing. It was a terrible call on the field.

Alas, we cannot simply blame this loss on the referees. That both Hall and So'oto lost the ball on those plays allowed the possibility for referee interpretation. So, how does a team that outplays an opponent end up losing? Simple. Turnover ratio (3 for BYU, 1 for UCLA), penalties (11 vs. 4) and field position. UCLA's two touchdowns came off of 47 yard scoring drives, and another field goal came off a 37 yard scoring drive. Their longest drive was 60 yards. At the end of the first half, BYU's starting field position was inside their own twenty, while UCLA's was at their own 40. The inability of BYU's punter to kick longer than 30 yards crippled BYU in the first half and also on the final punt of the game. When he really needed to come through in the clutch, he managed another 30 yarder, giving UCLA great field position for the icing TD. It's disgusting when all the things that coaches babble about actually prove true in the end. Turnovers, penalties and field position. Ugh.