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Big Ten may have made a very costly mistake
By Tom Dienhart - SportingNews
Did the Big Ten make a $4.5 million mistake by allowing an officiating crew that was facing a suspension this weekend to work last Saturday's Illinois-Ohio State game?
As I reported last week, a source told me the conference plans to suspend the crew that officiated the Nov. 3 Purdue-Penn State game based on a review of its work in that game. That same crew worked one of the biggest Big Ten games of the year last weekend in Columbus.
Incredible.
Why would the Big Ten assign the crew -- a few of whom could be fired for their work in the Purdue-Penn State game -- to a game of this importance?
The Big Ten does not comment on specific officiating issues.
The crew includes referee Stephen Pamon, umpire Pat Bayers, linesman Jack Teitz, line judge Robert Davis, back judge Dennis Morris, field judge Bobby Sagers and side judge Joe Duncan.
That group called just three penalties, one on Illinois and two on Ohio State. And a few perceived non-calls have Buckeye Nation angry. Many more fans are upset knowing this crew was running the game.
Were there blown calls? That's debatable. But perception matters more than reality. And the reality is this crew shouldn't have been trusted with such a game.
And how's this for another megadose of reality? The loss cost No. 1 Ohio State a shot at playing for the BCS title. What's more, that loss hurt the Big Ten's chances of sending a second school to a BCS bowl, which would net the conference an additional $4.5 million.
Now, the Big Ten will have to be satisfied with getting just one BCS team. The winner of this weekend's Ohio State at Michigan game will go to the Rose Bowl.
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