A fumble by quarterback C.J. Carr on an attempted spike throw right before the end of the second half killed the opportunity for Notre Dame to put up points before halftime with BYU leading 21-10.
The play apparently had even more mischief going on than Cougars defensive linemen jumping on the ground to try and delay the snap (which should have led to a delay of game penalty).
During an appearance on Cougars Connect after the game, BYU defensive lineman Justin Kirkland admitted that he called "hut" before the snap, which could have led to the fumble as Carr was not ready to receive the ball.
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They get down to the four-yard line," Kirkland said. "Their quarterback's running up. He's like, guys, everybody, line up, light up, light up. I'm gonna, I'm gonna spike it on hut on hut on hut. Their quarterback's running up. He's like, guys, everybody, line up, line up, line up. I'm gonna, I'm gonna spike it on hut on hut on hut.
"So they all line up," Kirkland said. "I get down in my stance. It's so loud, no one can hear, and I just yell, ‘hut.’ Center snaps it and immediately just like (expletive) at me, right? But the quarterback, the way he kind of fumbled it and then tried to spike it, I was like, okay, I can't just jump on this ball because then it'll... you know, screw me, right?
"And then Faletau (Satuala) and Jay(Ven Williams) come and slide in there and grab it, and the center, he's like trying to point at the ref, like he yelled 'hut', and I'm yelling at the ref, 'I would never do that. He's lying.' So, dude, it was funny though. My God, we got him."
Defenders aren't allowed to yell to yell 'hut' and mimic the cadence. BYU should have been penalized five yards for delay of game.
Kirkland's comments come amid the Big 12 admitting that its officiating crew should have put one second on the clock after an incomplete pass in the fourth quarter ended the game. At the end of the first half, Big 12 officials allowed BYU to commit two delay of game penalties, costing the Irish points.
Those same Big 12 officials took away a final opportunity for Notre Dame to score a touchdown and win the game at the end of the second half. It's a terrible look for the conference, which stands to gain monetarily by having more teams make the College Football Playoff.
For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.