Big Ten experiment bewildering
If Saturday’s experience with referee Steve Pamon’ s crew is an indication of the Big Ten’s instant-replay system, conference commissioner Jim Delany can expect calls for refinement.
The Big Ten technical adviser at the Central Florida-Wisconsin game picked two consecutive plays in the second quarter to review, overturning decisions both times, though the second call of spotting the ball took three tries to get right.
UCF was spared one touchdown because of a replay, but gave up another that could have been overturned if it had been reviewed. The system left the Golden Knights uncertain about what they’d been through, and acting coach Dave Huxtable was not convinced.
Officials weren’t helped by a constant miscommunication between the official clock operator and the stadium clock, which had to be reset several times. That caused delays in play.
“I’m going to tell you what, it slows the game down,” Huxtable said, but that wasn’t his primary beef. He left for the team hotel scratching his head about what parameters the “guy in the booth” uses to decide what plays to review and what plays to let stand.
“I don’t know what makes them decide when to use it and when not to use it,” he said.
UCF Athletic Director Steve Orsini decided at the Mid-American Conference’s football kickoff that his school would follow the MAC’s suggestion to use replay against Wisconsin and in two weeks at Penn State. The MAC and Big Ten are partners in the replay experiment this season.
“I don’t understand the whole thing myself, but right now if you ask me, I would not be in favor of (using) it,” Huxtable said.
Tragedy mars N.C. State victory
North Carolina State romped past Division I-AA Richmond 42-0 in a game marred by a deadly shooting in a nearby parking lot.
One person died at the scene and another died at the hospital, said Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison. No one else was injured in the incident, which took place on the north side of Carter-Finley Stadium. Several police cars remained at the scene throughout the game.
First such feat under Paterno
Zack Mills ran for a touchdown, caught a TD and threw two scoring passes to lead Penn State to a 48-10 victory over Akron. The Nittany Lions quarterback became the first Penn State player to accomplish the rare triple under Joe Paterno, who started his 39th season as head coach with career victory 340.
Division I-AA stars
•Wagner’s John Sciarra threw three touchdown passes and was 29-for-38 passing for 333 yards to lead the Seahawks to a 35-28 victory over La Salle.
•Drew Geyer, of Robert Morris, set a school record with six touchdown passes in the Colonials’ 47-10 win over of Buffalo State.
•Rob Giancola caught five passes for 119 yards in Valparaiso’s 41-0 win over Wisconsin Lutheran, becoming the school’s all-time leading receiver with 3,231 yards. The previous record was 3,212 by Mike Healey (1982-85).