The Orange Bowl looked like a spring game for the clock operator.
Referees constantly had to stop the game during Notre Dame’s 27-24 win over Penn State to tell the clock operator to correctly adjust the clock, with that individual seemingly forgetting to stop the game timer so the chain gang could move forward on first downs.
“Notre Dame had a first down. Game clock operator, please rest the game clock to one minute, twenty six seconds. Following a first down, we stop the clock under two minutes,” the referee said in a sequence aired on the national broadcast with the score tied at 24 in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.
There was another instance in which Penn State had the ball with 38 seconds lin a tie game and running back Nicholas Singleton scampered for a 15 yard carry on first down to get the drive started.
While the Nittany Lions were running a hurry-up offense, the referee had to stop the momentum to tell the clock operator to add time back on, as it wasn’t correctly stopped after the first down.
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar would throw a bad interception on the very next play, setting up the Fighting Irish for a game-winning field goal.
The “Pat McAfee Show” crew was livid at the back-and-forth between the referees and clock operator, putting them on blast on ESPN’s alternate broadcast.
“This operator, man,” Darius Butler said. “This has got to be his last game.”
“[Notre Dame kicker] Mitch Jeter on the sideline also wondering what is going on with the clock,” McAfee added. “This is unbelievable. I can’t believe it.”
Fans were upset watching the clock operator mess up a seemingly easy job during the College Football Playoff semifinal clash.
“Battle of the century between ref and clock operator at Orange Bowl,” X user @jjolly74 posted.
“We are witnessing legendary hall of shame performance from this clock operator,” another X user, @statsbywill said.
Notre Dame overcame a 10-0 deficit to advance to the title game, while Penn State went home wondering what went wrong in the defeat as the clock hit zero on their season.
