The big ten officiating crew for the game contained Daniel Capron (lead official), Kevin Schwarzel (back judge), and Bobby Sagers (side judge). See
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/112616aaa.html.
Schwartzel is an Athens, Ohio businessman who refs Big Ten games. He's also a life-long Ohio State fan. Without even taking his fandom into account, he was barred from officiating the 2006 Michigan/osu game simply by being from Ohio. Yet he officiated the game yesterday. See
http://www.athensnews.com/…/article_ff61a741-18ae-57a0-ba31….
Sagers is also from Ohio. This year, he was inducted into the OHSAA hall of fame, ceremony in Columbus.
http://www.wsaz.com/…/Fifteen-Individuals-Set-to-Enter-OHSA…
And Capron--the lead referee--was fired by the big ten in 2002 for poor officiating.
http://www.purdueexponent.org/…/article_f22a455e-1bc6-504f-…
So this is the situation. You have a self-pronounced life-long Ohio State fan in the position to make the no-call on Grant Perry's pass interference, and the pass-interference call on Delano Hill--crucial, game-changing calls at the end of the game. You also have an official inducted in the Ohio High School hall of fame--someone who is likely connected with other Ohio higher-ups--likely spotting the ball at the end of the game. (I'm not sure if he actually spotted it, but I'm pretty sure he's one of the guys running in from the sidelines along the yard line that he thinks the ball is on.) Whoever actually spotted the ball knew that, because overtime play starts at the 25 yard line, spotting the ball exactly on the 15 will give OSU a first down. Finally, all of this is reviewed by a lead official whom the big ten fired in 2002 for incompetence.
An OSU victory also was good for the big ten. If Michigan wins, it goes to the big ten championship, where the winner of Michigan and Wisconsin will make the playoffs; but if OSU wins, it sits home, while Wisconsin and Penn State play each other. OSU makes the playoffs, as does the winner of Wisconsin and Penn State. That's double the TV revenue on New Year's Eve for round one--money that Maryland and Rutgers and everyone else who sucks and have contributed nothing to anything get to share.
But I'm sure everything was on the up and up. How the hell does 3 officials from Ohio get to ref this game? Especially one who undoubtedly wears scarlet and grey underoos while pleasuring himself to a poster of Urban Meyer.