The Sun Belt Conference admitted Tuesday that Arkansas State’s game-winning touchdown catch against FCS opponent Central Arkansas should not have counted.
Jaylen Raynor hit Corey Rucker for a seven-yard touchdown with three seconds left on the play below. The call on the field was that the pass was incomplete because the ball bounced away from Rucker after he hit the ground.
But somehow, the Sun Belt’s replay review center reversed the call on the field and said Rucker had caught the ball. Arkansas State won 34-31.
The Sun Belt said in its statement that there was an “improper application of the re-evaluation process.”
“The referee on the replay focused on the firm control and down-body aspect of the catch and failed to evaluate the survival-on-the-ground aspect of a catch when reviewing the play in question,” the conference said.
“The right end zone camera shows that the receiver did not survive the ground, but this camera angle was not consulted by the replay official. The replay ruling should have confirmed the on-field call of an incomplete pass.”
Even Rucker said after the game that he didn’t think he caught the ball.
“I thought at first they were judging possession because when I hit the ground and rolled over the ball, the ball came out. So I didn’t think it was a catch, I thought they were judging possession,” he said after the game.
Corey Rucker on the #Astaat match winner after the game: “I didn’t think it was a catch because I thought they were looking at possession.”
Butch Jones in the background: “It was a catch. Always a catch.” 🤣
Video: KAIT photo.twitter.com/lQwVLDxKNP
— Jack Allen KATV (@JackAllenTV) September 1, 2024
The call was a game-changer for Arkansas State, as it prevented a home loss to a lower-ranked opponent. There is no guarantee that Arkansas State would have scored on the final play of the game if the pass had been correctly ruled incomplete.
The TD also undid an incredible comeback for Central Arkansas. After Arkansas State led 27-10 with 14:15 to go, the Bears scored three straight TDs and took the lead with 55 seconds left on a four-yard TD run by Darius Hale.
