USC/Utah Finish Has Implications in Vegas

USC's 23-14 victory over Utah sent Las Vegas sports books into a frenzy Saturday night.

The game originally ended with USC winning, 17-14, so Utah ticket holders with the 8.5 points were paid.  But two hours after the game, the Pacific 12 Conference overruled game officials who had not allowed a last-second touchdown by USC's Torin Harris after a blocked field-goal attempt.

Contacted about the finish by The Times, a supervisor at the MGM Mirage Sports Book said, "That cost us huge. We needed USC to cover the 8½ and when they didn't allow that touchdown, that killed us."

That was around 10 p.m.

Informed the score had been officially changed, the supervisor said: "I haven't got that information.

"Wait. We're just getting it now."

The switch, he said, made for a six-figure loss for his sports book.

"Now we lose double," he said, "because we'd already cashed out. We can't collect from people we already paid."

What happened?

Here is the Statement from Pac-12 Officiating Consultant Mike Pereira: “The new Unsportsmanlike Conduct rule is Rule 9, Section 2, Article 1. It states that Unsportsmanlike Conduct fouls by players are administered as either live ball or dead ball fouls depending on when they occur. The rule does not apply to substitutes. All Unsportsmanlike Conduct fouls by substitutes are enforced as dead ball fouls. Since the game was over, the penalty could not be enforced and the referee stated it was declined by rule. The officials did rule it a touchdown making the final score 23-14.”