BYU Notre Dame

BYU-Notre Dame controversy: Big 12 admits to massive clock mistake that doomed Fighting Irish originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

In the midst of upsets galore in Week 7 of college football, one came on a controversial ending.

No. 8 BYU's 28-24 win over No. 2 Notre Dame — one of three top-five-ranked teams to lose on the week — concluded with a CJ Carr incomplete pass to Jaden Greathouse. But there was also a questionable non-pass-interference call on the play.

As in the Michigan vs. Western Michigan game earlier this season, officials and the Big 12 were criticized for their clock management, with the league releasing a statement admitting a mistake.

Here's what to know about the controversial ending to BYU vs. Notre Dame.

MORE: Controversy aside, BYU makes big statement for Big 12 with upset of Notre Dame

BYU-Notre Dame controversy

Notre Dame had 1st & Goal with four seconds remaining for the final play vs. BYU on Saturday night, needing a last-second touchdown to win it. Carr couldn't get his pass to Greathouse, but with a lot of contact being made by BYU cornerback Evan Johnson, the officials didn't call DPI.

Fans stormed the field at the buzzer.

"I think it warranted a flag. That's a lot of contact where you're not playing the ball... I would've supported a DPI." ESPN/ABC rules analyst Matt Austin on the Notre Dame-BYU finish. (There's also the question of the field clock, which showed 1 second remaining) https://t.co/JzKewlL57a

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 18, 2026

Here's another angle of the potential DPI:

I have no idea how this isn't DPI, but BYU has defeated No. 2 Notre Dame: https://t.co/x62SqOyd2U

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 18, 2026

Perhaps more egregious was the controversy over how much time should have been left on the clock after that play, regardless of the potential pass interference. Replays indicated that the ball hit the ground from Carr's pass with one second remaining, but instead, officials ruled the game had ended.

The Big 12 was forced to release a statement admitting fault for the mistake postgame; had the officials correctly reviewed the play, Notre Dame would have had one more play to score and potentially win the game.

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Was there 1 second left on BYU-Notre Dame clock?

Upon a replay of the final play, it was evident that Carr's pass hit the ground with one second remaining on the game clock.

Instead, the officials ruled the game over.

Notre Dame also should’ve had 1 second left for one final play. Watch the clock here: https://t.co/UEqaEU6txd

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 18, 2026

Here's how the clock looked in slow motion on the broadcast:

there is CLEARLY 1 SECOND LEFT just watch it back in slo mo it’s not close clock doesn’t even get to 0:00 as I replay it https://t.co/CDvLOJwE5I

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 18, 2026

Big 12 statement on BYU-Notre Dame controversy

Postgame, the Big 12 admitted that one second of game clock should have remained after the incomplete pass from Carr on 1st & Goal.

"Following the Big 12's review of the final play of Saturday's Notre Dame-BYU game, it was determined that time remained on the clock when the ball hit the ground and the play was incorrectly cleared by the replay officiating crew," the Big 12 said in a statement, per ESPN. "The Conference will conduct a complete review of its end-of-game officiating process in advance of next week's games."

FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira also later said he spoke with the Big 12 replay center about the situation, and officials confirmed they cleared the decision to end the game.

“I talked to the Big 12 center, they said replay did clear it, but it’s pretty obvious here there is a second left on the clock and there should’ve been another play for Notre Dame,” Pereira said, per On3.

Per ESPN, because Notre Dame is an FBS independent school, its games are officiated by the leagues of its opponent.

It marked the second controversy of the 2026 season regarding one second of clock remaining at the end of a game. In Michigan's season-opener vs. Western Michigan, the clock showing on the NBC broadcast expired, but the Big Ten's game clock ruled that one second remained, and the Wolverines won it on a Hail Mary attempt.

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Source: Yahoo Sports