Big Ten will not discipline officials or fine Nebraska coach Matt Rhule

The Big Ten Conference will not discipline the officiating crew that called Saturday's game between Maryland and Nebraska, nor will it fine Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule for his postgame criticism of the crew, as reported by The Washington Post and Yahoo Sports. A conference spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that neither the officials nor Rhule face penalty or disciplinary action following the contest. [1][2][8]

On Monday, the Big Ten acknowledged that an officiating error occurred during Nebraska's 48-23 victory over Maryland in Lincoln, Nebraska. Yahoo Sports and USA Today reported that officials incorrectly called a defensive penalty for roughing the snapper during Nebraska's final point-after touchdown kick attempt on Saturday. [2][10][12]

According to CBS College Football, most of the officiating crew members in the Maryland-Nebraska game were also involved in a controversial game last month between Michigan and Western Michigan. In that earlier contest, the same crew handled a last-second victory by Michigan, raising further attention around their recent officiating assignments. [7]

The Big Ten operates as a major conference within the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a non-profit organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The association regulates athletic programs across approximately 1,100 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, helping organize competitions for over 500,000 student athletes every year. [13]