Pittsburgh narrowly secured a 35-33 victory against Virginia Tech on Friday evening when John Love’s potential game-winning 36-yard field goal drifted wide as the clock hit zero.
But did he actually miss?
To viewers watching ESPN’s live telecast, Love’s kick appeared to squeak inside the left post. However, the referee positioned right below the crossbar determined it was wide, leaving Love visibly frustrated.
This type of kicking controversy is increasingly frequent in modern college football. With the rising accuracy and power of modern placekickers, footballs frequently fly above the physical height of the uprights when crossing the endline. Consequently, determining the validity of the attempt depends entirely on the subjective assessment of the officiating crew on the field.
According to NCAA regulations, the ball must pass completely within the inner boundaries of the uprights. If the kick passes directly over the top of a post—as may have occurred on this play—the attempt is ruled unsuccessful, similar to a ball striking the upright and failing to clear the crossbar.
Additionally, this specific scenario is not subject to video review. Instant replay can only evaluate field goals or extra points if the ball crosses below the peak of the uprights. While a kick passing three feet underneath the top of the posts is eligible for review to see if it was wide or good, an attempt sailing a mere three inches above the posts cannot be legally reviewed.
It served as a bizarre conclusion to a highly unusual matchup. Virginia Tech plagued themselves with four turnovers, while Pittsburgh suffered a major blow as starting signal-caller Mason Heintschel exited with what appeared to be a severe right knee injury. Heintschel went down after absorbing contact during a scramble, instantly clutching his knee. Incapable of bearing weight on the leg, he was later seen on the sideline dressed in casual attire after being ruled out.
The Panthers rattled off 21 unanswered points to capture a 35-24 advantage in the final period, but a turnover forced near Pittsburgh’s goal line by Hokies quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer quickly resulted in a safety, allowing Virginia Tech to pull within two points on the subsequent possession.
Now sitting at a perfect 5-0 record, Pittsburgh is poised to enter the AP Top 25 rankings this Sunday, regardless of whether Heintschel faces a lengthy absence. In his place, backup Holden Geriner stepped in to complete 8 of 12 passes for 78 yards and a score, while three separate Panthers contributors found the end zone on the ground to seal the win.
