The Minnesota Golden Gophers celebrated a narrow 12-10 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes Saturday night. But the highlight of the game, as reported by Fox News, was a controversial punt return call late in the game that appeared initially to tilt the match in favor of the Hawkeyes.
Source: Minnesota Gophers YouTube
With just over two minutes left, Iowa’s Cooper DeJean was set to receive a punt from Minnesota deep in their territory. DeJean, upon noticing the short punt, pointed towards its expected landing spot. However, while doing so, he ambiguously waved his left hand. The unclear gesture led to him scooping up the ball and making a game-changing touchdown run.
The initial euphoria of Iowa’s sideline was short-lived. Referees, after a review, ruled DeJean’s gesture as an “invalid fair catch signal.” Although not a clear fair catch, the gesture rendered the ball dead where DeJean had recovered it, thereby negating his touchdown run. Fox News cited NBC’s rules analyst, Reggie Smith, who confirmed that while DeJean’s pointing was permissible, the left-hand wave caused the ball to become dead at the spot of recovery.
This Iowa touchdown was called off because officials ruled the returner signaled for a fair catch.
pic.twitter.com/4uk6VlP3pb— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) October 21, 2023
Despite the setback, Iowa was positioned favorably on the field with ample time to secure a win. Their attempt, however, culminated in an interception by Minnesota’s defense.
This loss pushed the Hawkeyes to a 6-2 season record and 3-2 in Big 10 conference play, while the Golden Gophers rose to 4-3. The game’s outcome emphasizes the significant impact that a single play, combined with intricate rule interpretations, can have on the larger narrative of a season.
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