Watch: Did Michigan get an assist from refs on Minnesota's onside kick?

The officials determined Minnesota's onside kick-recovering players were past the kickoff line — the spot where the ball was teed up — before the kicker had made contact with the ball.

But upon the broadcast examining the replay, it was very difficult to see what players exactly the officials thought were offside.

When paused at the moment of contact from the kicker, the nearest Minnesota player at the top of the field is still behind or at the very least equal to the kickoff line - which should be considered onside.

"[The official] said he broke the plane," Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said postgame of the explanation provided to him on the call. "Those were the words that were used, he broke the plane."

That kind of penalty is not reviewable nor able to be challenged by a coach.

It was a heartbreaking way for Minnesota's comeback bid to end, with Michigan able to knee out the remaining 90 seconds and move to 4-1 on the season.