Here's The Play That Made One College Football Ref Abruptly Quit This Week

Well, the ACC ref pool is down a man as college football enters Week 3. Nice going, world. You made Gary Patterson quit! 

No, not that Gary Patterson, although I'd imagine the former TCU coach wouldn't have loved this sequence, either. 

This is ACC referee Gary Patterson, who abruptly quit this week after a bizarre sequence in last week's UConn-Syracuse game. 

The play happened late in the first half, when Syracuse QB Steve Angeli had his arm hit on a pass that ultimately traveled 9 yards before falling incomplete. Officials originally signaled the play dead.

Another play was then run, but a flag was thrown before the snap. Play was stopped, and Patterson – the head ref – spoke with the replay official in the backfield. A full minute later, he announced that "replay had buzzed in prior to the snap on the previous play," and it was under review. 

It was eventually upheld, with the ensuing play – an incomplete pass – negated. 

Here's the full replay:

Surely this won't happen again!

Thoughts? Impressions? 

My first one? I think it's obvious … how is that ball NOT picked off on the negated play? What's going on there? All-time flub by those two defenders. The play being ruled dead bailed them out, but that's a tough watch. Someone has to come up with that ball. 

Anyway, as for Patterson … he was apparently so annoyed and embarrassed by the whole thing that he just quit. Bam. Done. He turned in his papers this week, and he's DONE. 

Per ESPN, an ACC spokesperson conceded that the timing of the replay officials buzzing was not ideal and said the handling of the sequence was being dealt with internally. 

Another ESPN source said Patterson was upset at the ACC's interference in forcing a replay after the next play had already occurred. Gee, you think? 

Imagine if that happens later on in the year in a bigger game? Imagine if the ensuing pass had actually been picked off and returned for a touchdown? And then they had to axe the whole thing because replay officials were late to pull the trigger on the previous play? Yikes. 

It's something that needs to be buttoned up moving forward. Good thing college football is notorious for fixing mistakes!