Bill Belichick weighs in on controversial Syracuse two-point conversion that beat UNC
· Yahoo Sports
CHAPEL HILL — UNC football fans are still questioning whether Syracuse scored on a two-point conversion in its 31-30 overtime win against the Tar Heels.
Despite leading by double digits multiple times, UNC (4-3, 2-2 ACC) couldn’t get to the finish line against the Orange (3-4, 1-4), which took its first lead on the final play.
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Wide receiver Calvin Russell caught a pass near the pylon for the game-winning conversion, though the replay angles available to officials did not clearly show whether his foot landed on the goal line or if the ball broke the plane of the goal line.
However, Russell made contact with the pylon and NCAA rules state that the goal line extends beyond the sidelines out of bounds.
UNC coach Bill Belichick addressed the controversial play during his weekly press conference on Oct. 26 as the Tar Heels begin preparation for No. 1 Miami (7-0, 5-0) on Saturday, Oct. 31 (7:30 p.m., ABC), at Kenan Stadium.
Because the game is on ABC, there will be pylon cameras available for additional angles on plays at the goal line, but Belichick highlighted a larger issue with the lack of multiple cameras available.
“Pylon cameras are better than nothing, but that’s not the answer either,” Belichick said. “I think you need a little more height than that, personally. But look, that’s not my decision.”
Belichick went on to say that he’s advocated for cameras to be in place on the sideline, goal line and end line since he was hired to lead the NFL’s New England Patriots in the early 2000s. He added that other major conference use additional camera angles for replay review.
“I think it would be good for the game to get a definitive look at every play like that. If he scored, he scored. If he didn’t score, he didn’t score. Just put a camera there and get it right,” Belichick said.
“That’s what I’m for. But based on what was called on the field and the views that the officials had, I don’t know how you could possibly overturn it. The view was from a long way away.”
Belichick recalled a similar situation in UNC’s overtime loss to Virginia last season, when running back Benjamin Hall was “clearly short” of the goal line, but the officials didn’t have multiple angles to review the play.
For Belichick, the Syracuse play is less about revisiting a result and more about ensuring officials have the tools needed to make accurate calls in the future.
It’s less about the Syracuse play and more about the ability to get as many angles as possible to make the right call in situations moving forward.
“I think from what the officials had to work with, it would be hard to tell. I think from what the fans showed, they had some good footage of it. There are different views there that the officials and Charlotte (at ACC headquarters), they didn’t have those for reviews in the game,” Belichick said.
“The answer to the question is to put goal-line and sideline cameras on the line so that you have a good look at those plays.”
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Bill Belichick weighs in on controversial Syracuse two-point conversion that beat UNC
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