Strange Ending Champ Sports Bowl (video)

[TXMike]

 Although I don't see a bean bag deployed by the L, he clearly signals a backward pass.  Perhaps someone else on the crew (U ?) ruled forward pass so game was over as it was incomplete?  Otherwise, it appears ball was still live as crew starts to leave field and the horde comes onto the field. 

For what its worth, the replays do SEEM to indicate the pass was forward (although no flag seems to have been thrown)

http://youtu.be/88ybVjXgglg

[Atlanta Blue]

I don't think it's forward, it looks like it was thrown at ~26 and it hits at about the exact same yard line, but it's close.  The L is certainly signalingly it's backward and live.

But I think this is a case of common sense over the letter of the rule.  Once FSU had it and players were streaming on the field, the game is over.  Even the ND guys had quit, no one was trying to tackle the defender with the ball.  The R sure thought it was over, he was 20 yards past the U and the L headed off the field!

[TXMike]

Didn't you pay attention to the fallout after the Alamo Bowl several years back (Nebraska-Michigan)?  The game was NOT over in that case and I am not sure it should have been over last night.

The  stat folks reflected the last play like this:

Nd  3-10 at Nd05 REES pass complete to TOMA for 19 yards to the ND24, 1ST DOWN ND (PRYOR,L.).

Apparently they are ruling TOMA was down before he got rid of the ball

And this news story says TOMA was OOB befoe he got rid of the ball.  Does not appear to be what the covering official saw but does help explain the way iot was allowed to end.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sns-tsn-afn-recap-floridast-notredame-20111230,0,6314592.story

[Diablo]

Was there a whistle blown?  I couldn't detect one.

[Hank]

I don't think it's forward, it looks like it was thrown at ~26 and it hits at about the exact same yard line, but it's close.  The L is certainly signalingly it's backward and live.

Agreed.  It's a shame the kid didn't just take a knee.  It should be over, but from the actions of the covering official, it doesn't appear to be.  As for common sense triumphing, there's little precedent for that in a football game.

[ret66482]

Was that the Alternate (white hat) that was running before the on storm or was that the Referee getting out of Dodge leaving his crew?

[Atlanta Blue]

Was that the Alternate (white hat) that was running before the on storm or was that the Referee getting out of Dodge leaving his crew?

Sure looks like the R, same build.  Don't know about Big 12 crews, but in the SEC, the alternate official never wears a white hat while on the sideline, even if he is normally a referee and is wearing an R placard on his shirt.