Controversial Refereeing in Michigan’s National Title Win Over Washington

In any big football game, questionable refereeing is almost expected. The national title game between Michigan and Washington was no exception, with pundits highlighting one holding call and a non-call that favored Michigan in their 34-13 victory.

The Game-Changing Holding Call

While it’s true that two penalties alone cannot account for a 21-point difference on the scoreboard, one particular call did wipe out a significant gain by Washington in a closely contested game. With less than 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and Michigan leading 20-13, Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. connected with Rome Odunze for a 32-yard gain, bringing them to the Michigan 35-yard line. However, the play was nullified due to a holding penalty on tackle Roger Rosengarten, pushing Washington back to a second-and-20 situation. Ultimately, the Huskies were forced to punt.

While it cannot be guaranteed that Washington would have scored a touchdown, this marked their last true opportunity to do so. Former Giants offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz expressed his disagreement with the holding call, tweeting, “Ehhh. Washington’s RT recovered pretty well there. Not my favorite holding call.”

The Non-Call that Favored Michigan

On the subsequent possession, Michigan sealed the game with a five-play, 71-yard touchdown drive, extending their lead to 14 points with 7:09 remaining. The drive’s first play saw Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy complete a 41-yard pass to tight end Colston Loveland, positioning the Wolverines at the Huskies’ 30-yard line. However, this play featured a noticeable hold by Michigan right tackle Trente Jones on Washington’s Zion Tupuola-Fetui, which went uncalled. If the hold had been penalized, Michigan would have faced a first-and-20 situation at their own 19-yard line.

Discontent Among Viewers

The controversial calls, both the game-changing holding call against Washington and the non-call on Michigan’s hold, left many viewers dissatisfied. Tim Tebow took to Twitter, stating, “Really tough holding call after some of the ones they missed for Michigan.” Mike Golic Jr. also expressed his frustration, quote tweeting a screenshot of the blatant hold and saying, “Just inexcusably bad, especially after the hold that completely changed the last drive for UW.”

The game effectively ended after Michigan’s touchdown, as Penix threw an interception on the next drive, which Michigan capitalized on for their final points.