Alton

December 6th, 2016 at 12:05 AM ^

Before the early '90s, a lot of non-conference games were officiated by "split crews."  The Big Ten supplied 3 officials and the Southern Independent Collegiate Officials Association supplied 3 officials for this game (there were only 6 refs in college games back then).  Those refs from the Southern association had a very specific reputation of protecting their own.  After a game against South Carolina, I recall Bo saying he had no desire to ever play another game with refs assigned by them.

On the first play from scrimmage, one of the SICOA refs threw a really weak flag against Michigan for a personal foul.  On the very next play, Big Ten umpire Frank Strocchia threw a holding flag against Florida State, and (according to a reporter who spoke with him years later) told the SICOA ref something to the effect of "you're not getting away with this today."

The game turned into something of a battle of wills between the SICOA & the Big Ten refs, especially Stroccia, who threw 8 holding flags against Florida State.  Both teams were very dissatisfied with the officiating of that game, and it might have been one of the reasons that "split crews" were banned in the NCAA...although the 1990 Rose Bowl might be up there as well.

There were a total of 17 penalties (not counting declined & offsetting penalties) in the game.

jmblue

December 6th, 2016 at 8:50 AM ^

I did some googling and found this article on the game, with some quotes from Harbaugh and Bo, among others.

 

 

``Those Southern officials were doing everything they could to help Florida State get back in the game,`` said Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh, who was called once for throwing a pass while beyond the line of scrimmage and once for delay of game. Three of the six officials who worked the game were from the South and three were from the Big 10, which is the usual practice in intersectional games. ``There was no way I took too much time when the guy called delay of game,`` Harbaugh said. ``I had my eye right on the clock. It was sickening. You hate to see the officials trying to take over the game.`

True Blue Grit

December 6th, 2016 at 7:52 AM ^

The thing I remember the most though, was after the game was over, my wife and I had just walked out of the stadium.  And we see this couple, who were FSU fans, crying over the loss.  At least that's what we assumed they were crying about.    I think to this day, that's the only time we've ever seen fans actually crying right after a lost game.  

thethirdcoast

December 6th, 2016 at 4:17 PM ^

....8 years old when this went down, but I still knew what Harbaugh was about.

All you young cats out there need to watch and memorize this so you can have knowledge of what a badass our coach was back in the day. Shame he never picked up a Super Bowl in the league.