MEAC holds up replay decision, Bethune-Cookman victory

Sep 27, 2011 - 6:15 PM Norfolk, VA (Sports Network) - The game-ending play that was ruled an incompletion and not a touchdown in Bethune-Cookman's 35-31 win against Hampton last Thursday was upheld by the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

It appeared Hampton had scored a go-ahead touchdown on a pass to Isaiah Thomas in the Bethune-Cookman end zone, but instant replay determined the receiver did not complete the process of the catch.

On Tuesday, MEAC commissioner Dennis Thomas released the following statement on the play:

"In addition to reviewing the video with the MEAC's Coordinator of Football Officials Rosie Amato, I felt the need to procure external analysis of the play in question and requested three seasoned and nationally respected officials, including Rogers Redding, CFO national coordinator of football officials and NCAA Football rules committee secretary-rules editor, Doug Rhoads, coordinator of football officials for the Atlantic Coast Conference, and Dr. Gerald Austin, coordinator of football officials of Conference USA, to independently review the play in question. Upon their review, it was concluded unanimously that the ruling to reverse the on-field call to an incomplete catch was accurate, therefore invalidating the final Hampton touchdown.

"The analysis of the video evidence concluded that the airborne receiver did not maintain control of the ball after hitting the ground, and by rule did not fulfill all the elements of the process of completing the catch. The rule support for this reversal is Approved Ruling 7-3-6-XII and 7-3-6-XIII found on page FI-35 of the 2011-12 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations manual."

This is the first year that instant replay is being used in MEAC-televised games.