Crews at controversial Central Michigan-Oklahoma State game suspended

The Big 12 and Mid-American conferences both announced Sunday that the officiating and instant replay crews who worked the Central Michigan-Oklahoma State game have been suspended for two games.

The MAC suspended the eight officials who worked the game on Saturday after they wrongly awarded Central Michigan an extra play after time had expired, resulting in the Chippewas' winning Hail Mary-and-lateral touchdown.

"After a thorough review and evaluation of the entire Central Michigan at Oklahoma State contest, we have decided to suspend the officiating crew for the next two consecutive weeks," Bill Carollo, the coordinator of football officials for the Collegiate Officiating Consortium, said in a statement. "I have personally informed the crew of our decision."

The Big 12 also suspended its two-man instant replay crew for two games and will not allow that group to work a bowl game this season.

"The crew missed an opportunity to advise the MAC officiating crew of the misapplication of the penalty giving CMU an untimed down that resulted in its game-winning touchdown," Walt Anderson, Big 12 football coordinator of officials, said in a separate statement. "NCAA rules permit instant replay to correct egregious errors and it is unacceptable that it did not occur in this situation. Additionally, this replay crew will not be eligible for assignment to an end-of-season bowl game."

In one of the more improbable finishes to a football game, CMU wide receiver Corey Willis grabbed a lateral from fellow receiver Jesse Kroll at the 12-yard line after a Hail Mary and raced into the end zone with no time remaining to stun then-No. 22 Oklahoma State 30-27 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

But it never should have happened.

MAC referee Tim O'Dey -- as well as the MAC and the Big 12 conferences -- acknowledged after the game that Central Michigan was wrongly awarded an untimed down, which resulted in the finish.