The Tulane football team was hoping they’d go bowling this year.
After the Angry Wave failed to win their sixth game of the season, they’ll be watching from home for the rest of the year.
In one of the more heartbreaking, gutsiest calls of the season, Tulane just missed becoming bowl eligible.
ABSOLUTE CHAOS. pic.twitter.com/C1bvaAYeT3
— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) November 25, 2017
The ruling on the field was that the quarterbacks knee was down before he crossed the goal line. Tulane’s offense scrambled to try and get another play off before time expired, but there was no chance of that happening.
The clocked ticked to zero, and SMU players came flying down the field; a thrilling win for them on Senior Day.
The review of the play would spark even more controversy than the call to go for it in the first place. Tulane quarterback Jonathan Banks appeared to cross the goal line well before his knee touched the ground. But referees weren’t convinced.
The play stood as called on the field.
That’s a tough way for #Tulane to lose to SMU on the goal line …I thought Banks scored the touchdown as time expired @WWLTV pic.twitter.com/DfPTz2P8wO
— Ricardo LeCompte (@RLeCompteTV) November 25, 2017
I know I went to SMU but I gotta be truthful… He definitely scored.. it’s clear as day. We lost that game
— Deion Sanders Jr (@DeionSandersJr) November 25, 2017
What a horrible, horrible call. Have to feel terrible for #Tulane. The fought like hell to get to this point. Fell less than one yard short
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) November 25, 2017
Replay was intended to minimize the effect of human error on plays like this. It certainly seems like the result of this game was taken out of the hands of the players.
You can’t help but feel bad for Tulane in this situation.