Virginia Tech kicker John Love missed a game-winning field goal wide to the left, a call that cost the Hokies a 35-33 decision against Pittsburgh on Friday night. The ball appeared to slip just inside the left upright by a razor-thin margin, yet the officials ruled it wide. Because the kick crossed the end line above the top of the uprights, NCAA rules prevented any replay review, leaving the initial on-field decision as final.
The outcome ended Virginia Tech's bid for a 5-0 start, a milestone the program had not achieved in years. Love and fans watching from behind the goal posts believed the kick was good, with video from a fan directly behind the posts showing the ball seemingly passing inside the left upright. However, other angles captured from behind the kicker and off to the right suggested the ball missed wide left. Additional footage from the opposite end of the field again appeared to show the ball going through, creating a visual debate that has no definitive resolution.
The inability to review the play stems from specific NCAA regulations. The rulebook allows review of field goal attempts only if the ball is ruled below or above the crossbar, or inside or outside the uprights when lower than the top of the uprights. Since this kick traveled higher than the uprights as it crossed the end line, it fell outside reviewable criteria. This technicality contrasts with NFL rules, which explicitly define a made field goal as the entire ball passing through the vertical plane of the goal, including the area between the outside edges if above the uprights. The NCAA rulebook simply states the ball must cross over the crossbar between the uprights, leaving no explicit language for kicks that clear the top of the posts.
ESPN broadcast coverage of the moment was minimal, with announcers glossing over the controversy and offering barely any replay, which fueled frustration among viewers who were certain the kick was good. The dispute highlights a gap in college football's rule language compared to its professional counterpart, where a similar situation would have clearer definitions for determining whether a ball above the uprights counts as inside or outside.