Fans taken aback by Michigan takeaway in final minutes of close contest

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – It was a play that worked several times before.

Sophomore wide receiver Damarlo Belcher cut across the middle of the field on a quick slant route. For a brief moment, it seemed junior quarterback Ben Chappell had connected on a crisp pass.

But in the first play of IU’s final drive as the team trailed 36-33, Michigan cornerback Donovan Warren wrestled the ball out of Belcher’s hands as the two players fell to the ground.

Warren ended up with the ball, Michigan regained possession and the Hoosiers lost their first game of the season.

He said he simply outfought Belcher for the ball. Both players were on the ground by the time Warren came up with possession.

“We both had our hands on it,” Warren said. “We were both wrestling for it.”

The play did not go by without contention.

After the officials made the call on the field, an incensed IU coach Bill Lynch stormed down the sidelines toward the play. Hopping and stomping around, Lynch ripped the gum out of his mouth and hurled it toward the IU bench.

By the time Lynch reached the post-game press conference, though, he had calmed down.

“I couldn’t see it,” Lynch said. “Where I’m standing on the sideline, it looked like they both had it.”

If they both had complete possession, the NCAA college football rulebook favors the offensive player on a simultaneous reception.

Rule 7, Article 6 states: “If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by opposing players inbounds, the ball becomes dead and belongs to the passing team.”

If neither Belcher nor Warren had complete possession, then the catch is awarded to the player that recovers the ball before it hits the ground.

The officials reviewed the play and confirmed the call after seeing the video replay.

There was a similar situation in a November 2008 game between Oklahoma State and Iowa State.

Cowboy wide receiver Dez Bryant and Cyclone cornerback Kennard Banks wrestled for the ball on a simultaneous catch in the end zone. While Banks recovered the ball, Bryant was awarded with the catch and a touchdown.

The play from that game is now used as a training video for high school football officials in Missouri.

Following the interception, Michigan was able to kneel the ball and run out the clock on its 36-33 victory.

Chappell, like Lynch, also said he did not have a good view of the play.

“I couldn’t see it – we’ll have to watch the film,” Chappell said.

Both Chappell and Lynch agreed the one play did not cost the Hoosiers the entire game.

“We had plenty of opportunities on offense where we could have made better plays,” Chappell said, “and we probably would have won the game.”

While not speaking directly about the interception, Lynch said there were no key moments in the game.

“We came up a play short somewhere in there,” Lynch said. “There were so many plays, it’s hard to put your finger on what was the key play.”