NCAA Umpire Resigns Following Controversial Replay Review
Last weekend, a replay review during the second half of Syracuse’s 27-20 win over UConn sparked frustrations that ultimately led to Gary Patterson’s resignation. This information, confirmed by sources to ESPN, illustrates the tensions surrounding officiating in college football.
Patterson, who has been part of the ACC since 2002 and officiated the game in question, abruptly ended his contract immediately following the post-game meeting.
The ACC acknowledged Patterson’s exit from the list of officials on Friday, clarifying that this decision was already in motion and there was no confusion within the league’s operations. He had been slated to officiate the upcoming game between Pitt and West Virginia.
The controversial moment occurred with just over a minute left in the first half, while Syracuse held a 14-3 lead. The Orange started the drive at UConn’s 25-yard line. On the first play, quarterback Steve Angeli attempted a pass but had the ball knocked away, leading to an incomplete pass.
After Syracuse snapped the ball again with 58 seconds left, about 25 seconds elapsed before the next play. This second down attempt was almost intercepted, with two UConn defenders colliding, and the ball ended up on the ground, resulting in a third-and-ten situation.
Ironically, a penalty flag was thrown post-play, with Patterson engaged in communication with the ACC command center via his headset at the time.
An ACC spokesman later noted that while staffers were busy initiating reviews, the sequence of plays did not unfold smoothly for an effective replay assessment. They ultimately reviewed the play for a potential fumble by Angeli, but upheld the original call, and the second down play was entirely disregarded.
Patterson remarked, referring to the game’s audio system, “The next play never happened,” while clarifying the ruling.
ESPN rules analyst Bill Lemonia commented that the circumstances surrounding the review were atypical compared to standard protocols. “If the snap occurs just as the buzzer sounds, it’s up to the judge to determine if the play can go on,” he noted.
He mentioned that the flag thrown following the second play should have prompted a personal foul ruling, regardless of being during a dead ball period. “Any errors stemmed either from the replay booth or the command center,” Lemonia stated, adding that it wasn’t the field officials’ fault.
Sources indicated that the ACC Command Center issued directives leading to Patterson’s dissatisfaction, as they initiated a replay after the next play had already unfolded, prompting his resignation.
This season, the ACC has implemented a review collaboration between on-field referees and command center officials for select games, but the contest between UConn and Syracuse was not included in that arrangement.
