ACC official to ESPN on Miami RB Chaney fumble in loss to GT: ‘We made the right call’

The weekend ended badly enough for the Miami Hurricanes.

On Wednesday, the final piece of the Georgia Tech at Miami game was announced as resolved — in a way that won’t make University of Miami fans any happier.

ESPN reported Wednesday afternoon that ACC supervisor of officials Alberto Riveron said that replay officials made the correct call of Don Chaney Jr.’s fumble that resulted in Georgia Tech recovering the ball and scoring four plays later for a last-second 23-20 victory.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal said late Monday afternoon that UM had asked for clarification on the fumble call but had not heard back at that point.

“We made the right call on the field based on the angles that were afforded to us,’’ Riveron told ESPN. “The process and the protocol was followed.’’

Then No. 17 Miami blew a 20-17 lead over the Yellow Jackets that would have stood if they had taken a knee, in what is known as the victory formation, on their final offensive play with 33 seconds left in the game. Instead, they opted to run a play and handed the ball to Chaney. The play was reviewed during the game by replay officials, as it appeared Chaney’s elbow hit the ground before he lost the ball, but the call at that point stood.

“We take all the shots that are afforded to us by our TV partners, and we look at the play,” Riveron told ESPN. “We look for the football in relationship to where he loses control prior to hitting the ground. You have to have a view of the football the entire time, and you have to watch the football and make sure it’s in player possession until the time he’s legally down.

“If you don’t have that, you don’t have indisputable evidence to overturn the ruling on the field. In this case, the ruling on the field is a fumble. So if we’re going to overturn a fumble, we have to see the player in control of the football once he hits the ground.”

The Hurricanes (4-1, 0-1 ACC) dropped to No. 25 in the AP Top 25 poll and next travel to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to face the UNC Tar Heels (5-0, 2-0) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.