Officials are almost never the reason teams win or lose games. They weren't the reason No. 2 Washington lost to No. 1 Michigan in Monday's national championship. But that doesn't mean officials can't impact the momentum and flow of the game.
The Washington offense had been stymied throughout much of the contest with the Wolverines. But finally, trailing by a touchdown, the Huskies appeared to have a big strike. Michael Penix Jr. connected with Rome Odunze for 32 yards from the Washington 33 up to the Michigan 35 in the fourth quarter.
However, the celebration was short-lived by the Huskies with a flag on the field. Holding on the right tackle brought the play back, and two plays later, Washington was forced to punt the ball away. This was the hold in question:
This just negated a huge Washington play pic.twitter.com/0v8S7fLsG7
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) January 9, 2024
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Though there was contact made at the line, the call was considered by many to be dubious at best. Right tackle Roger Rosengarten did not appear to grab the Michigan defender, but rather the defender appeared to lose balance.
The holding penalty was made all the more striking by a more obvious example of holding on Michigan's follow-up drive. Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy hit tight end Colston Loveland for 41 yards to the Washington 30. But on the play, it appeared Michigan right tackle Trente Jones grabbed the jersey of Washington's Zion Tupuola-Fetui.
Refs missed a hold on Michigan’s biggest pass play of the night pic.twitter.com/lV9ZtLRji2
— Connor O'Gara (@cjogara) January 9, 2024
The Wolverines wound up scoring a touchdown on the drive to push the advantage to 27-13 with 7:09 left in the game, all but sealing the Michigan win over Washington.
The Huskies' inability to move the football consistently despite having a solid defensive effort for the middle two quarters of the game wound up being the ultimate reason Washington did not win the title game. But the dichotomy of the two calls on subsequent drives was not lost by viewers.
just inexcusably bad, especially after the hold that completely changed the last drive for UW. https://t.co/fKpdCCJevI
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) January 9, 2024
Really tough holding call after some of the ones they missed for Michigan. #NationalChampionship
— Tim Tebow (@TimTebow) January 9, 2024
Of all the holding calls that get missed tonight...that's the one that gets called.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) January 9, 2024
Ehhh. Washington’s RT recovered pretty well there. Not my favorite holding call.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) January 9, 2024
Credit where it’s due: officials missing every Michigan holding call the entire game, yet get the most ticky tack holding call on Washington 😂😂
— Jensen Lewis (@JLEWFifty) January 9, 2024
After Washington was called for a bad holding call, the officials don't call this ☠️ pic.twitter.com/gtr6PjMV0r
— Covers (@Covers) January 9, 2024
Don’t tell me officiating can’t decide a game. That holding penalty totally flipped the momentum of the game.
— George Stoia III (@GeorgeStoia) January 9, 2024
