'Bulls--t,' Cristobal Rips Refs for Controversial Decision in Miami's Loss to Notre Dame

After Miami benefited from some contentious officiating decisions earlier this year, the shoe was on the other foot Saturday night.

A potential game-tying touchdown catch by Hurricanes tight end Elija Lofton was ruled incomplete in the fourth quarter.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal told reporters he was "really, really disappointed" with the call.

"I'm pissed off. It's bulls--t, and I'll leave it at that," he said. "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."

When it comes to the rulebook, few things can be more maddening in football that determining what is and isn't a catch.

Lofton had two feet land inbounds and control as he came down. It wasn't until he was out of bounds that Notre Dame safety Luke Talich dislodged the ball.

Under the letter of the law , a player needs to "[maintain] control of the ball long enough to enable that player to perform an act common to the game." Defining "an act common to the game" is where the interpretation comes into play.

In the eyes of the officiating crew Saturday night, Lofton clearly didn't satisfy that criteria.

Cristobal and Miami quarterback Darian Mensah conceded a team can't put itself in a position where any one officiating call can influence the outcome.

The Hurricanes fell behind 24-3 in the second half. They didn't find their groove until midway through the third quarter. If they don't dig themselves into such a deep hole, they might be 9-0 right now.

Beyond that, there's no reason for Miami to dwell on this result when its trajectory is basically the same. The team is assured of making the College Football Playoff by winning out and claiming an ACC title.

Maybe the Notre Dame loss is the difference between having a bye to the quarterfinals and hosting a first-round game. But the Canes still control their overall destiny.