Big East Conference officials working last Saturday's Louisville-Connecticut game wrongly allowed the Cardinals to attempt an extra point with no time left on the clock, a move that nearly proved costly to bettors in Las Vegas who were backing the Huskies.
Connecticut was 12.5-point favorite at kickoff and covering the spread after Jordan Todman scored on a two-yard run with 3:13 remaining, giving the Huskies a 38-19 lead.
Louisville had one last push, marching down the field and scoring on a four-yard pass from Adam Froman to Blayne Donnell as time ran off the clock, cutting Connecticut's lead to 13 points at 38-25.
The officiating crew then wrongly allowed Ryan Payne to attempt the conversion with no time remaining. Much to the relief of Connecticut supporters, Payne missed the extra point, keeping the Huskies a pointspread winner.
Payne should not have been given the opportunity to kick under rule 8-3-2a:
ARTICLE 2. A try is an opportunity for either team to score one or two points while the game clock is stopped after a touchdown. It is a special interval in the game which, for purposes of penalty enforcement only, includes both a down and the "ready" period that precedes it.
a. The ball shall be put in play by the team that scored a six-point touchdown. If a touchdown is scored during a down in which time in the fourth period expires, the try shall not be attempted unless the point(s) would affect the outcome of the game.
Big East associate commissioner Nick Carparelli did not respond to an email request for comment.
The rule last impacted the pointspread on Oct. 20, 2007. Kentucky was a seven-point underdog against Florida and scored as time ran out, cutting the deficit to 45-37. But the rule was properly applied and the Wildcats were not allowed to attempt the conversion, angering Kentucky supporters in Las Vegas.
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