POLL: What did you think of the call in the Pinstripe Bowl?


For those of you who actually had to work Thursday, you might have missed the ending of the Pinstripe Bowl between Syracuse and Kansas State.

With Syracuse up 36-28, Kansas State scored with less that two minutes remaining, putting the Wildcats a two-point conversion away from tying the game.

After wide receiver Adrian Hilburn caught the 30-yard touchdown pass, he dropped the ball and saluted the crowd before turning to jog back to the Kansas State sideline.

Bad idea.

He was flagged for a 15-yard excessive celebration penalty, which was enforced on the two-point conversion, pushing the Wildcats back to the 18-yard line. Quarterback Carson Coffman threw an incomplete pass, effectively ending the game.

The call was reminiscent of the same penalty being called against Jake Locker in 2008 when the Huskies lost to BYU at home. In that case, Locker appeared to toss the ball in the air rather than handing it to the official. The extra point, which would have tied the game, was blocked.

If anything, Locker was more deserving of the penalty that Hilburn, but neither display really seemed to warrant a flag.

Coincidentally, Syracuse was favored by one point in the Pinstripe Bowl. The penalty all but ensured that the two-point lead would remain intact.

So what do you think?