National Coordinator of Officials explains extended goal line on controversial Arch Manning TD vs. Texas A&M

The 2024 college football season has been full of controversial or questionable calls by officials, and the final week of the regular season was no different. Enter Steve Shaw.

National Coordinator of Officials Steve Shaw reviewed and evaluated several notable rulings from college football officials during Week 14 in a video posted by SEC Officiating on Friday, including an overturned scoring play in the revived Texas vs. Texas A&M rivalry game last Saturday.

The play in question was the Longhorns’ first score when sophomore backup quarterback Arch Manning tight-roped the sideline before diving at the pylon just as Aggie defensive back Dalton Brooks collided with him, pushing Manning out of bounds at the goal line.

SEC officials initially ruled Manning out of bounds at the 1-yard line. But upon further review, officials was determined the football technically broke the plane and crossed the “extended” goal line out of bounds as was ruled a 15-yard touchdown run. The score gave Texas an early 7-0 lead with 3:07 remaining in the first quarter of the eventual 17-7 win in College Station.

“As we go back and look at the play, we see the quarterback (Manning) stays in bounds, he’s hit near the goal line, the ball goes just outside the pylon, and we know the ball must go over or inside the pylon to be a touchdown,” Shaw said. “As replay reviews this, remember if the player is in bounds and then touches the pylon, the ball is immediately dead at that point. But, because the player touched the pylon, they get goal line extended, and the ball is clearly breaking the plane of goal line extended here when the quarterback first touched the pylon. So, replay will overturn the call on the field and they’re going to make this a touchdown. This was a tough call on the field, but a good job of replay to get it corrected.”

The slo mo of the Arch Manning touchdown vs Texas A&M 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yBT0OzKGga

— Arch Manning Highlights (@ArchHighlights) December 3, 2024

Shaw also made a point to highlight a two-point try in the third quarter of the Georgia–Georgia Tech game when Bulldogs receiver Dominic Lovett went in motion prior to the snap only to cut back into the left flat on a delayed bubble screen run that went nowhere. The sideline judge ruled it an illegal motion on Lovett’s part, but the Yellow Jackets declined the penalty and maintained a 17-6 advantage of what would become an epic 44-42 eight-overtime win for Georgia.

“The flag was for illegal motion, it’s going to be declined, but by rule, a player who goes in motion may not start from the line of scrimmage, they must be a ‘back’ to legally go in motion,” Shaw said. “And as we go back and look at the initial formation, we see that No. 6 was clearly on the line (of scrimmage). … So clearly No. 6 here is not back, and he’s not allowed to go in motion from this position unless he were to move, get set and establish as a back, then he could go in motion.”

Shaw, the former SEC coordinator of officials, also explained why a muffed punt by Florida State returner Lawayne McCoy that Florida long snapper Rocco Underwood recovered at the FSU 12-yard line. The Gators would take a 17-3 lead on a 30-yard field goal four plays later in the 31-11 victory.

“By rule, if the receiver muffs the punt, the kicking team may recover but they cannot advance,” Shaw said. “The kicking team can never advance a kick. So it’s always important to know if we have a muffed kick or a fumble.”