"Refs you suck," rained down from the stands during the third quarter of Nebraska's game versus Northwestern. In a day when the referees have been the usual degree of Big Ten refs bad, their blown call on a 4th and short call for Northwestern was easily the most egregious. Not just of the game, but perhaps the season.
With the Huskers leading the game 21-6 and looking to take all the momentum, Northwestern ran a short pass play that was caught, then bobbled, and as the receiver ran backwards, short of the first-down line, seen again. Initially, the spot of the ball was correct, at least a yard short of the first down. Nebraska ball, right?
Nebraska football the victim of horrible officiating vs Northwestern
Nope. Instead, one of the officials moved the spot a full two yards up the field and called it a first down. After a review where, once again, it looked like the play should have been overturned, it was instead upheld.
A clearly frustrated defense was then taken advantage of on the following pass play where Ceyair Wright threw the receiver down after a long gain for a face mask penalty. One play after that, the Wildcats scored a touchdown to make it 21-13.
And then the chant rained down. It's hardly the first time the Huskers have been on the wrong end of some truly terrible officiating. It is, unfortunately, not even the first time in the last two years they've been on the wrong end of a ridiculously poor spot of the ball.