Miami head coach Mario Cristobal blasted ACC officiating over a controversial incompletion call after No. 11 Notre Dame handed the top-ranked Hurricanes their first loss of the season in a 31-24 defeat in South Bend.
“I’m pissed off. It’s bulls–t, and I’ll leave it at that,” Cristobal told reporters. “That’s the way it was seen by them. So I got to live with it and respect it, and our players got to live with it, and we got to do better. Again, don’t leave it in the hands of the officials.”
Quarterback Darien Mensah found tight end Elijah Lofton in the front left corner of the end zone in what would’ve been a game-tying touchdown, but the call was incomplete after Lofton lost the ball out of bounds.
Lofton appeared to come down with the ball and two feet in bounds with three minutes and 43 seconds left in the game.
But as he stepped out of bounds while attempting to complete the catch, Fighting Irish safety Luke Talich got in between to rip the ball out.
After a replay review, the call was upheld, and Miami turned the ball over on downs and didn’t reach the red zone for the remainder of the game.
“Really, really disappointed that they negated Elijah Lofton’s touchdown with two hands on the ball and two feet in bounds,” Cristobal said postgame, “but like we told our team before we left Miami, do not leave it in the hands of the officials because that’s what you’re going to get out here.”
Miami was playing behind most of the game.
In their first matchup with Heisman candidate Malachi Toney sitting out due to an ankle injury, they trailed 24-3 early in the third quarter until Mensah threw for three touchdowns to fellow Duke transfer Cooper Barkate and Lofton to make the game a one-score affair in the fourth.
The Hurricanes now face their first loss since last season’s national championship game.
They will remain without Toney, as the wide receiver will be sidelined for four weeks after successful surgery.
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