Controversial Call Overturns Crucial Fumble In Oregon vs. Penn State

The Nittany Lions recovered the fumble, but the officials determined that Whittington was down after replay review. Penn State was primed to take over possession near midfield after the pivotal fumble, but Oregon instead scored on the next play.

The NBC broadcast showed Whittington's knee "grazed" the ground before fumbling on the second effort. As a result, the play was ruled dead once Whittington was down, returning the ball back to Oregon and nullifying the fumble.

Once the ruling was announced inside the stadium, Penn State fans showered the officials with boos.

On the next play, Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. scored an 8-yard touchdown on a screen pass from quarterback Dante Moore, giving Oregon a 10-3 lead over Penn State in the White Out. The boos continued, and fans continued to boo.

Not only did Penn State fans disagree with the call, but the controversial overturn took away momentum from the Nittany Lions.

Oregon's offense has had success moving the ball against Penn State, but the Ducks had not found the end zone. The controversial call by the officials caused a potential 14-point swing in the top-ranked game.

Nittany Lions Offense Struggling

Adding insult to injury, Penn State returned the fumble to midfield before the play was called back. With the Nittany Lions struggling to find a rhythm against Oregon's offense, favorable field position could have sparked a drive for the Nittany Lions. Instead, Oregon's defense forced a punt, and the Penn State offense was booed by its own fans.

Even the Nittany Lions offense was booed by its fans after the Oregon defense forced a punt. Through three quarters, Penn State's offense has 109 total yards with Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar logging 62 passing yards.

Penn State's defense has kept the Nittany Lions in the game. The Ducks scored their second touchdown in the fourth quarter, putting Penn State in a 14-point deficit. Allar and the Nittany Lions responded with a 35-yard touchdown to Devonte Ross to make it a one-score game.

Oregon Ducks Leading

At the start of the fourth quarter, Oregon currently leads 17-10 and the Ducks are threatening to score again. Moore has shown poise in the pocket, successfully moving Oregon down the field.

The Ducks have attempted five fourth-down conversions after struggling on third down, and the Nittany Lions kept Oregon out of the end zone in the first half.

Can the Ducks pull of the shocking upset and beat Penn State on the road? Regardless of the result, the replay review on Whittington's fumble is expected to be discussed in the coming weeks.