The Ref's stoppage to announce there was no first down

[Obliviax]

I thought the game was pretty well officiated. They missed some calls both ways and both teams got a few gifts. My point in posting, is to say that this game was decided on a fingernail, a blade of grass, and a nat's eyelash.

PSU gets a long gainer, a yard and a half short. tOSU is in their third and long defense. PSU hurries up to the line to go for it on 4th and short. The ref stops play to announce that it PSU was short and it was 4th down. This allows the tOSU defense to gather themselves and put in a sub to prepare for a different set of circumstances.

I've honestly never seen that once in my football viewing life. WTF were the refs thinking? Should they have disallowed tOSU to sub?

 

[PSUFBFAN]

I thought the game was pretty well officiated. They missed some calls both ways and both teams got a few gifts. My point in posting, is to say that this game was decided on a fingernail, a blade of grass, and a nat's eyelash.

PSU gets a long gainer, a yard and a half short. tOSU is in their third and long defense. PSU hurries up to the line to go for it on 4th and short. The ref stops play to announce that it PSU was short and it was 4th down. This allows the tOSU defense to gather themselves and put in a sub to prepare for a different set of circumstances.

I've honestly never seen that once in my football viewing life. WTF were the refs thinking? Should they have disallowed tOSU to sub?

Because the Beaver Stadium public announcer "announced" it was a first down which certainly could have caused confusion among both coaching staffs at that moment. I have no problem with the ref taking control and making sure everyone knew the correct situation.

 

[Madsol]

Because the Beaver Stadium public announcer "announced" it was a first down which certainly could have caused confusion among both coaching staffs at that moment. I have no problem with the ref taking control and making sure everyone knew the correct situation.

If that is indeed what happened, then I agree. Would have liked for the announcers to have pointed that out but I'm guessing they didn't hear it because they were as confused as all of us watching.

 

[Madsol]

They did (they actually referred to thinking that “one of the officials” indicated first down - which they may have, and me be why it was announced)

Ok. i must have missed it. I do think the one linesman on our sideline came in signaling to stop the clock as if we had made the first down but it was clearly short. Maybe that messed everyone up.