First of all that's a bad angle- because you can't even see the ball. All you see is his left hand. Doesn't matter where his left hand is. It matters where the football is. Show the pictures from the other angle and you'll see the ball. yellow made for tv line wasn't where he needed to get the first down. Often times that yellow line isn't accurate, just a best guesstimate by the televisions. Ball needed to get across the white line completely- the 15- for a first. He didn't get across the 15. His left hand/wrist did and touched the ground- meaning he's down- but his right hand carrying the call- well short of the 15. Probably close to a foot short. He didn't get it. Refs bungled it. It is what it is.
EDIT: As much as you want to blame the refs you can't. Michigan fumbled the ball on OSU's 2 yard line wiping away a probable 7 points for Michigan, and Speight threw a pick 6 and another pick that was essential a pick 6 because it gave OSU a first and goal and they punched the ball in a couple plays later. That's a 21 point swing right there. Can't turn it over 3 times and give the other team 14 points off of two pick 6's and expect to win.
It appears that the biggest issue here isn't homers thinking that it should have been called their team's way but rather a simple misunderstanding of the rule. Mdot, your interpretation that I
bolded/underlined is flat wrong. Allow me to explain:
When considering a TD, remember that the goal line is INSIDE the end zone. In determining whether or not a player has scored, the player only needs to get any part of the ball over the goal line.
Thus, when OT begins, the ball is placed such that the nose of the ball (part closest to the end zone) it right at the side of the 25 yard line that is furthest from the goal line (ie, closer to the 26 rather than the 24).
You are correct that the yellow line is often inaccurate but in this case it is also completely irrelevant. This series of downs started with the portion of the ball closest to the end zone exactly at the portion of the 25 yard line furthest from the end zone. Consequently, what Ohio State needed to do was to get any part of the ball over any part of the 15 yard line.
By rule, an NCAA football is 10.5 - 11.5 inches in length. I do not believe there is a rule as to yard-line width but I would say that they are at least 3".
Thus, when you said that Barrett needed to get completely across the 15 yard line and that he was probably close to a foot short, you effectively admitted that he got the first down. Your understanding of what Barrett needed was off by at least 13.5" (the minimum 10.5" length of the ball plus the at least 3" width of the 15 yard line. If Barrett was a full foot short of what you thought he needed to get, then he got the first down.
