Amber Harding
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Field goals are pretty cut and dry: The ball either goes through the uprights or it doesn’t. During Iowa State’s loss to Ohio on Saturday, though, we saw some gray area.
Iowa State ultimately lost the game. But the Internet is abuzz over a missed field goal that, upon review, actually looks good.
After already missing a 47-yard kick in the first half, Cyclones kicker Chase Contreraz lined up for a 37-yard kick halfway through the fourth quarter. At the time, Iowa State trailed the Bobcats 10-0. But refs ruled the kick no good as the ball sailed over the right upright.
Or did it?
You decide:
a clearly good field goal was ruled wide pic.twitter.com/K7itlE009q
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) September 16, 2023
In real time, the ball does look to float slightly high and wide right. But the replay from underneath the crossbar tells a different story. It seems as if the kick was inside the uprights — albeit just barely.
And fans were not happy.
Every damn year, EVERY DAMN YEAR THE REFS STILL DO THIS SHIT.
— Barstool ISU (@BarstoolISU) September 16, 2023
Team gets food poisoning, a made field goal is inexplicably called no good, and a swallowed whistle on the biggest play of the game.
— Garret Tiarks (@g2tiarks) September 16, 2023
Just another day in Iowa State football
Look, if iowa state loses this game, it’s ultimately because they did not play well… however, when you somehow MISS-CALL a good field goal as a reffing crew and it takes points off the board, you need to be held accountable. Thats inexcusable to have that in 2023
— Shayne Olson (@shayneo79) September 16, 2023
Iowa state should be going to tie right now this was a made field goal pic.twitter.com/Y6Dr3oI8hq
— chiefsINTlostMeEverything (@2k_BobSacamano9) September 16, 2023
Unfortunately for Iowa State, though, they could not challenge the call.
According to NCAA rules, “If the ball is higher than the top of the uprights as it crosses the end line, the play may not be reviewed.” And all the rule book says about a field goal is that it must go between the uprights and that “the crossbar and uprights are treated as a line, not a plane, in determining forward progress of the ball.”
The Cyclones scored a touchdown on their next drive to get on the board, but they ultimately fell short 10–7.
Sure could have used those three points.
We wouldn’t be talking about this supposedly missed field goal if the CyClowns had, I don’t know, bothered to show up against a team from the MAC. I swear, nobody fires out the excuses more than Iowa State fans.