Sports

Oregon State Robbed Of Upset Bid Against Texas Tech By Offensive Pass Interference Penalty During 4th Quarter

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Oregon State offensive pass interference controversy texas tech pick screen penalty
CBS Sports

After a chaotic offseason, Texas Tech almost lost its college football game to Oregon State on Saturday. The Beavers were robbed of an upset bid by a questionable pass interference call late in the fourth quarter.

They would’ve converted a first down with a chance to score for the win.

It is not uncommon for college football referees to get things wrong. Unfortunately, it was a costly (and likely incorrect) decision to make that specific call in that specific scenario with the game on the line.

Oregon State had Texas Tech on the ropes.

As the No. 13-ranked team in the country, undefeated Texas Tech was listed as a 26.5-point favorite over one-loss Oregon State. The Beavers lost on the road at No. 22 Houston in Week 1. They hosted the unusual non-conference matchup on Saturday.

I don’t think the Red Raiders would agree to play at a Pac-12 opponent today, but this home-and-home series was announced in 2018 before Oregon, UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, Colorado, Cal and Stanford all bailed. Therefore, a College Football Playoff team from a year ago traveled north to Corvallis as four-score favorites over a 2-10 team from 2025.

Texas Tech is supposed to be one of the best teams in the country. However, it is still trying to figure out its quarterback situation after Brendan Sorsby was deemed ineligible by the NCAA and the courts. Will Hammond looked like a game manager and completed 20 of his 27 pass attempts but for only 189 yards. Thomas Castellanos was mostly irrelevant in the run game.

The passing defense was perhaps a bigger concern than the passing game. The Red Raiders allowed more than 450 yards of offense, with 403 through the air. Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson completed 29 passes for 399 yards. 11 different receivers got involved with at least one catch.

The signal-caller also caught a touchdown on a modified ‘Philly Special’ in the third quarter!

The Beavers finished with more total yards, equal time of possession, the same amount of penalties and turnovers, two less sacks allowed and two less punts. However, they ultimately lost by 11 points on a frustrating sequence of events late in the fourth quarter.

Was it offensive pass interference?

Oregon State trailed Texas Tech by only four points with less than two minutes remaining. The Beavers were down to their final down. They had 4th-and-3 at their own 21-yard-line. They did not have much of a choice but to go for it.

Atkinson dropped back in the pocket, looked to his left and immediately threw over to his first read. Wide receiver transfer Aeryn Hampton, who followed first-year head coach JaMarcus Shepherd from Alabama, was wide open between the hash marks and the numbers. He caught the pass and ran for a first down. Oregon State was still alive!

And then it wasn’t.

The officials threw a flag. They called offensive pass interference on what was ruled as a “pick” play. An offensive receiver cannot intentionally run into a defender to space and separation for an open receiver. The Beavers were backed up by 10 yards.

However, it did not appear as though the wide receiver set a screen. Even if the play might’ve been designed that way, he was simply running his assigned route over the middle and got tangled up with a group of Texas Tech defensive backs. He did not make a concious effort to block the defender. They ran into each other.

The CBS broadcast crew was surprised by the call… especially in that situation!

The Beavers failed to convert the fourth down on the next play to effectively end the game. The Red Raiders put the nail in the coffin with a final touchdown just three plays later.

Oregon State was robbed of a chance at victory over No. 13 Texas Tech.