Washington’s biggest play of the night was negated due to a holding penalty. Questionable would be an understatement. Especially considering what was not called earlier in the night!
The Huskies had 2nd-and-10 from their own 33-yard-line. Michael Penix Jr. and his receiving core, which had failed to connect on big plays all night, finally made something happen.
Rome Odunze caught a pass on the edge and stumbled out of bounds for 32 yards. It flipped the field and flipped the momentum. It gave Washington a chance.
And then, long after the ball was in the air, a yellow flag hit the turf. 6-foot-6, 300-pound right tackle Roger Rosengarten was called for holding.
The call was questionable.
Rosengarten definitely went high, which looks like holding from an official’s perspective even if it isn’t, and was flagged. His left hand definitely caught the right shoulder of Michigan EDGE rusher Braiden McGregor.
However, with the amount of hand-fighting that occurs on every single play, the play could have gone either way. Rosengarten’s reach did not necessarily impede McGregor’s access to the quarterback.
Either way, the penalty was called on the Huskies. A 1st-and-10 at the Wolverines’ 35-yard-line quickly became 2nd-and-20 inside their own 25. Brutal.
Washington was called for holding, but Michigan was not.
To make matters worse, the college football officials missed two pretty blatant holding calls on Michigan. The first missed penalty took place during the first half.
That drive ultimately did not result in points. No harm, no foul!
The second missed holding call was egregious. It took place on the drive immediately following Rosengarten’s penalty.
J.J. McCarthy connected with tight end Colston Loveland for a 41-yard touchdown. 6-foot-4, 325-pound Wolverines lineman Trente Jones got a full handful of Huskies star EDGE rusher Zion Tupuola-Fetui’s jersey and pulled as he closed-in on the quarterback.
It was essentially the same holding penalty committed by Rosengarten, but worse.
Jones was not penalized. No flag was thrown.
It directly resulted in points. Had Tupuola-Fetui reached McCarthy two seconds prior, he may have been able to knock the ball away.
In both instances — whether holding or not — one was called. The other was not. How?