ACC football referee quits over botched replay sequence in Syracuse vs. UConn game, per report

Veteran ACC football official Gary Patterson quit his job as one of the conference's head referees over frustration with the way a review was handled during his Week 2 assignment, according to ESPN. An apparent miscommunication between the officiating crew and ACC replay command center occurred during the matchup between Syracuse and UConn, leading to a review stoppage well after the ball had been snapped for the ensuing play.

The ACC confirmed to ESPN that Patterson is no longer on the conference's roster of officials and that it has already made adjustments to its crews to cover his absence. Patterson, who first served as an ACC official in 2002, was set to be the crew chief for Saturday's rivalry contest between Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

Late in the first half of last week's game between the Huskies and Orange, a UConn defender hit Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli's arm during a first-down throw, forcing an errant forward pass. The officials ruled the pass incomplete and proceeded on to the next play, which resulted in another incompletion. After that play, Patterson spent more than a minute in communication with the ACC command center.

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Patterson announced over the PA system that the replay center had buzzed in before the second play began. Officials then reviewed the first-down throw to determine whether it was indeed an incomplete pass or if the contact with the defender forced Angeli to fumble the ball forward. They upheld the call on the field and negated the second-down incompletion.

Additionally, an official threw a flag during the second-down play, but because of the nullification of that down, the penalty was not addressed. College football rules state that personal fouls are to be enforced even if they occur in a dead ball situation.

The ACC said it addressed the handling of the sequence internally.

This season coincidentally marked the beginning of a new policy wherein the ACC provides audio and visuals during the review process during select games. The Syracuse vs. UConn game was not part of that program.

Syracuse trailed the Huskies, 14-3, when the sequence in question occurred. The Orange rallied back from that first-half deficit to force overtime, and an Angeli touchdown pass in the extra period put Syracuse on top for its first win of the season. Angeli closed the day with 417 yards, shattering his previous career high.