Friday’s Pass Interference Call Against Purdue Was So Bad, Sportsbooks Feel Guilty

If ever there was a phantom call in a football game, it happened Friday night. Purdue University tight end Payne Durham was somehow called for pass interference prior to catching what would have been a late go-ahead touchdown pass against Minnesota. Minnesota went on to win 34-31, leaving Purdue coach Jeff Brohm seething and one sportsbook feeling guilty.

Minnesota tops Purdue in thriller

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With 8:31 remaining, Purdue tight end Payne Durham hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Plummer to cut the Boilermakers’ deficit against Minnesota to 34-31 Friday night. Late in the game, Durham appeared to have found the end zone again for what would have been a go-ahead score, but a yellow flag appeared out of nowhere.

Replays clearly show there was no push off by Durham, nor did there appear to be any contact whatsoever. Durham’s apparent touchdown with less than one minute remaining was nullified. Plummer was then intercepted and the Gophers pulled out the victory.

The pass interference call baffled the television analysts. It upset the Purdue coaching staff and the players. Durham made a beautiful catch and it was wiped away by one very strange call.

Purdue coach Jeff Brohm was fuming over the call

Purdue head coach Jeff Brohm did his best to bite his lip after the penalty for offensive pass interference negated a go-ahead touchdown for his team in the final minute Friday night. Brohm said he never got an explanation on the penalty after his team’s 34-31 loss to Minnesota. He was asked to comment on the play and had to play it safe.

“You know what I think,” Brohm said, according to ESPN. “I can’t really comment on it. It’s part of the game and we’ve got to move forward, but yes, I didn’t like it at all. I wish I could comment what I really think.

“We send calls in (to the Big Ten), and sometimes they agree with us, sometimes they don’t. I don’t have the replay and can see it. I just know there was a touchdown (Minnesota) caught earlier in the game, about the same area on the slot receiver, he gave a little nudge and they didn’t call that. I’ll just stop there. A big score at the end and it gets called back. I guess we had a penalty.”

One sportsbook thought the call was so bad, it refunded losing bets

Purdue coach Jeff Brohm and the Boilermaker players weren’t the only ones who thought the pass interference call was bogus. FanDuel, an online sportsbook, also thought the call was ridiculous. FanDuel thought it was so bad that it wouldn’t even take money from those who had wagered a bet on Purdue.

“After a questionable offensive pass interference call, we’ve decided to refund all straight spread and moneyline wagers placed on Purdue from last night’s game against Minnesota,” FanDuel Sportsbook tweeted Saturday morning.

If everyone outside of Minnesota, including sportsbooks willing to give money back, thought the call was crazy, it probably was. Jeff Brohm and the Purdue Boilermakers got a raw deal. For fans who wagered on Purdue and thought they lost the bet, FanDuel Sportsbook had some good news for you Saturday morning.