Referee Penalizes College Team for Jumbotron Distractions During Field Goal
Miami (Ohio) faces penalty after displaying goalpost images on jumbotron during opponent’s field goal attempt.
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A referee penalized Miami (Ohio) for unsportsmanlike conduct after the team displayed distracting images on its stadium’s jumbotron during an opponent’s field goal attempt, according to ESPN. The RedHawks ran several pictures of the goalposts across the video screen as Ohio University kicker Brack Peacock prepared to kick with six seconds left in the first half. Peacock missed the attempt, and the officials flagged Miami, giving Ohio an automatic first down.
The game between the two Ohio schools, Mid-American Conference rivals, took place Tuesday night in Oxford, Ohio. Stadium video, audio, and lighting crews are prohibited from creating distractions that interfere with play, as per NCAA rule 9-2-1. The officials determined that the goalpost display crossed that line.
Never seen this call before 😭 Miami (Ohio) was called for a penalty for having too many field goal posts on the video board 😅 https://t.co/bRHZcpU8B7
Ohio took over first-and-goal at the 8-yard line but came away with nothing. Magnus Haines looked for Evan Herrmann. Blayne Myrick knocked the pass away. Miami then reeled off 34 straight points to win 34-17, led by true freshman quarterback Drew Bellisari, ESPN stated.
The penalty fell under a rule the NCAA widened for the 2026 season to cover video board and lighting operators, On3 reported. Oklahoma State’s video board showed yellow vertical lines resembling the uprights during a Texas field goal in 2020, according to CBS Sports.
The college call followed a similar crackdown in the NFL. The league told all 32 teams in a Sept. 7 memo that stadium video boards must show the same image to home and visiting kickers and established penalties for violators, NBC Sports stated.
Teams may run a live All-22 angle or a static picture during kicks, provided both sides see the identical feed. New England had displayed video of the goalposts behind the real ones for years to rattle visiting kickers. The team used the tactic only against opponents, but the league had allowed the practice until the September memo.
Source: Daily Caller
