Moore, refs address controversial Jeremiah Smith touchdown decision

In the blink of an eye, Michigan football went from up 6-3 to down 10-6 to Ohio State, with Julian Sayin finding Jeremiah Smith downfield for a 35-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-5. But upon second glance, Smith appeared to have bobbled the ball as he crossed the goal line, and didn't reestablish possession until he was out of the side of the end zone. By rule, that would be a touchback for Michigan, with no points scored. Yet, the officials reviewed the play and upheld it.

However, on the broadcast and on halftime shows across the nation, several analysts have questioned why it wasn't overturned with the ball going back to Michigan.

It was a huge turning point in the game and one that the Wolverines never quite recovered from. A pool reporter asked the referee after The Game about upholding the call, and Kole Knueppel said they didn't have enough camera angles to determine if the ball was being bobbled as Smith crossed the goal line.

And yet, there are enough people, including former NFL referee Mike Pereira, who were able to determine that it should have been a touchback and not a touchdown.

Even so, Ohio State dominated the trenches, and even though it was a turning point, it's no sure thing that Michigan would have remained in the lead or continued to keep the game competitive.

As for Michigan football head coach Sherrone Moore, he addressed the issue in his postgame, agreeing with the national sentiment, while also noting that the refs didn't think the ball was bobbled in the moment.

"The Jeremiah Smith fumble or catch, they thought it wasn't a fumble," Moore said. "They said that he had control of it. Didn't look like he had control of it. But at the end of the day, it's not my decision on what the official says. So they told me that it was inconclusive and that he made the catch, and the call was going to be upheld."

And yet, the call was upheld. Several disagreed with the call in real time.

It's not the first time that Michigan has been on the wrong side of questionable officiating in The Game. Most notable was the end of regulation and then in overtime in the 'JT was short' game in 2016.

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Sherrone Moore reacts to upheld Jeremiah Smith touchdown call ruling