Miami’s controversial TD call: Terry McAulay supported it, while others decried the ruling

A late ruling stands

Miami believed it had completed a comeback against Notre Dame in South Bend on Saturday night. In the fourth quarter, receiver Elija Lofton caught a pass that appeared to tie the game, but officials ruled it incomplete.

McAulay backs officials

NBC Sports rules analyst Terry McAulay said the call was correct. He argued Lofton did not hold the ball long enough to make a football move, and said the ball appeared to bobble before a defender knocked it free.

McAulay’s view was that Lofton had not established complete possession before the ball came out. That interpretation supports the incomplete-pass ruling.

Cristobal and others object

Other sports media personalities also objected on social media. Their criticism focused on the possibility that Lofton had possession before stepping out of bounds, meaning the later loss of the ball should not have changed the result.

The disputed possession question

The debate turns on whether Lofton had possession when he stepped out of bounds. If he did, the story says, the play should have been a touchdown; if he had not completed the catch before the defender dislodged the ball, the argument over what happened afterward would not matter.

Officials had not issued a statement explaining the decision, and Cristobal said they gave him no explanation on the sidelines. The call is expected to remain a subject of discussion as the playoff race continues.