For whatever reason, this past Saturday we saw two players affected by the strange drop-the-ball-milliseconds-before-crossing-into-the-end-zone phenomenon. That brings the total to at least four incidents during nationally televised games in three weeks of games so far this season.
On Saturday, it first happened in the Oklahoma vs. Ohio State game, with Joe Mixon dropping the rock just before walking into the end zone on a brilliant 97-yard kick return, and officials, the replay booth, and players on the field all completely missed it.
Then, later on in the night, a Cal running back did the same thing late in the game up 50-43 with under a minute and a half to go as he was going in to ice the game.
https://youtu.be/qVIhE5ugNxI?t=1m59s
The play was reviewed, but it was decided that officials blew the play dead before the ball was picked up by a Texas player, and the ball was placed at the 1-yard line for Cal.
At the post game press conference, after hanging on for a win despite the near-disaster, Dykes spoke about issuing a new rule during the next team meeting.
"Every time we score a touchdown from now on, we will hand the ball directly to an official," Dykes explained, as highlighted by USA Today. Personally, I suggest naming this approach "The Barry Sanders Rule" after the Hall of Fame Detroit Lions running back who did it after each and every touchdown run while everyone else was focused on the celebration.
Last week, a Clemson player made the same mistake that was made twice on Saturday , and during week one, Dalvin Cook lost the ball out of the side of the end zone for a touchback after trying to switch hands for no apparent reason before crossing the goal line.
“It’s really a strange phenomenon. I don’t understand it. But I can assure you it won’t ever happen to us again. We’ll get it fixed," Dykes went on to explain.