Pitt appeared to have their third win of the college football season secured on Saturday. However, a late ruling from the officials in the final minute eventually led to a 21-17 loss against Wake Forest.
The Panthers held a 17-14 lead and faced third-and-8 from their own 9-yard line with 55 seconds left at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Pitt ran an option play to perfection to try to ice the game. Quarterback Christian Veilleux faked a handoff to running back C’Bo Flemister and had more than enough space for a first down. Veilleux and Flemister celebrated as if their team had gotten the first down.
However, referees ruled that Veilleux had begun to slide short of the first-down marker.
The slide rule in football allows the ball carrier to basically give himself up to avoid contact from oncoming defenders. The play is ruled dead at the spot wherein the slide was initiated.
A closer look at the play shows the Pitt QB starting to slide before crossing the first-down marker.
Wake Forest would go on to score the decisive go-ahead touchdown with seven seconds left. It’s not the first time a Panthers QB’s slide during a Pitt-Wake Forest game sparked debate online.
“I definitely felt like I had it. Going to have to watch some film. It’s a tough one,” said Veilleux after the loss.
Veilleux threw for 302 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Pitt falls to 2-5 after the defeat.
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