I finally got a look at the play and the camera shots.
There was not a lot the Replay Official could have done as he did not have a shot down the line. There is no doubt that during the time out that he looked at all the shots he had and was in consultation with the B12 video center and I doubt the word that Dana got was that it was "confirmed." There is no way the RO could have confirmed it or reversed the call as there wasn't a shot showing exactly where the ball was when forward progress was stopped, and, yes, replay can get involved in forward progress on a play like this. IF he had shut the play down for review, the call on the field would have stood as there is no indisputable (key word) evidence to say the spot had been gained or not. It would have helped if the network had placed a cart camera on the field, but they didn't, and face it, Houston wasn't supposed to have been in the game, so the network saved the expense of having a cart there. Or, if there was a handheld camera on the field, it was probably stationed on the goal line.
Do I "feel" or "think" it was a first down. Absolutely! But the RO can never rule on a review if he "feels" or "thinks" the result needs to be confirmed or reversed.
As for a challenge by Dana. This is not the NFL. All reviews in the NFL during the last two minutes are strictly up to the replay officials. In NCAA ball, the coach, if he has any challenges left, can definitely challenge any time/play he wants to, even if time has run out in the game and he thinks there might have been time left on the clock, if the play could make a difference in the outcome of the game. He could have thrown the challenge flag but decided, since he had probably been told the ruling wouldn't be changed, not to. But he could have.
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.
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