ACC officiating supervisor Doug Rhoads informed N.C. State football coach Tom O'Brien that a key play in last week's loss to Clemson should have been ruled a fumble, N.C. State announced Wednesday.
According to a note released to the media by N.C. State, Rhoads said a play in the third quarter was a fumble that would have given the ball to the Wolfpack at its 21-yard line with Clemson leading 24-14.
Officials initially ruled that Clemson running back C.J. Spiller was down and the play was dead before Clem Johnson stripped the ball away. O'Brien challenged the call, but a replay review upheld it.
N.C. State's note to the media said Rhoads told O'Brien that the call should have been overturned and ruled a fumble. Efforts to reach Rhoads for comment Wednesday were unsuccessful, but N.C. State sports information director Annabelle Myers said Rhoads told O'Brien it was OK to release his conclusion to the media.
O'Brien said the missed call was a difficult blow to his team. With N.C. State trailing 24-7 at halftime, O'Brien challenged the offense to take the second-half kickoff and score. He urged the defense to stop the Tigers and get the ball back.
The Wolfpack offense immediately drove for a touchdown. The missed call was all that prevented the defense from doing what O'Brien asked. Two plays later, Spiller scored on a 16-yard run.
N.C. State lost 43-23.
"It was a huge play in the game and devastating for this football team," O'Brien said on Wednesday's ACC coaches' teleconference, "so I hope someone learns from it, and it doesn't happen again."
