@CJZero on X
The SMU Mustangs’ college football program had a whirlwind day on Saturday. It began with a sizable contract extension for head coach Rhett Lashlee, and ended with a 26-20 overtime victory over No. 2 Miami.
But the unranked Mustangs nearly never even got the chance to knock off the Hurricanes due to a strange missed field goal and the (correct) application of a rarely seen rule.
SMU’s FG is no good, here’s the attempt and the explanation of why it was no good pic.twitter.com/54Pmaj9nyI
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) November 1, 2025
SMU Misses Critical Field Goal Against Miami When Ball Goes Over The Upright
With 6:27 left in the fourth quarter and the Mustangs trailing 20-17, SMU kicker Sam Keltner lined up to attempt a game-tying field goal from 42 yards out.
Keltner stepped up and hammered the kick, seemingly sending it just inside the uprights. Instead, however, the two officials underneath the goalposts ruled the kick no good. Both Keltner and ESPN’s announcers were stunned.
However, upon further review, the officials were correct.
Keltner hit the ball so hard that it went over the top of the upright, which, by definition, means that the kick was no good.
The rule regarding a made field goal is as follows:
– For the kick to be successful: The ball must pass in flight above the opponent’s crossbar, it must also be between the uprights.
– If the ball travels above the uprights, the entire ball must pass between the inside of the uprights extended
Thankfully for Keltner, he received a second chance and drilled a 38-yard field goal with 25 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.
In OT, Miami quarterback Carson Beck threw an interception to give SMU the ball with a chance to win. The Mustangs then delivered with a 1-yard touchdown run from T.J. Harden, ending the game and severely denting the Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff hopes.