Kelly’s Score Disputed

USC’s first touchdown Saturday was open to debate.

Officials ruled that Kareem Kelly caught a six-yard scoring pass from Carson Palmer in the second quarter. Kelly steadfastly agreed.

But replays showed otherwise, and California Coach Jeff Tedford and his players voiced their displeasure with the call after Kelly’s touchdown proved pivotal in USC’s 30-28 come-from-behind victory.

“It was obvious he didn’t catch it,” said Cal defensive back Nnamdi Asomugha, who was covering Kelly.

“I caught it,” Kelly said.

Whoever you wish to believe, there was little doubt about the impact of the touchdown. It got the Trojans off the ropes after they had fallen behind, 21-3.

On third and goal at the Cal six, Kelly appeared to make a diving catch just inside the back line of the end zone.

Back judge Jim Northcott, who was closely trailing the play, immediately signaled touchdown. But field judge Michael Mothershed, who was farther away but facing the play, rushed up to talk with Northcott. The officials stepped back to confer while the players waited to see if it would be ruled a touchdown or an incomplete pass.

In the meantime, several replays on the giant video screen at the Coliseum showed that Kelly trapped the ball against the ground. Moments later, officials signaled touchdown.

Replays cannot be used to review plays in college football, so the call wasn’t surprising.

At least not to Kelly, who said it was a catch all the way.

“The replay might have shown the ball come out, but I had it,” he said. “The ground helped me secure it. The ground doesn’t cause fumbles in college, so it was a touchdown.”

Asomugha, a sophomore from Harbor City Narbonne High, saw it differently.

“When we looked on the replay, it showed that he dropped the ball,” Asomugha said. “And then they signaled touchdown. It looked like they were going to overturn it, but I guess ...”

Referee David Cutaia said the touchdown was not overturned because none of the officials saw the ball hit the ground.

“The touchdown was signaled by the back judge, who saw the ball caught and [Kelly] roll over with the ball,” Cutaia said. “He did not see the ball on the ground at all. The other official went over and they talked. Neither official said he saw the ball on the ground, therefore it’s a touchdown.”

The explanation was little consolation for Tedford, who said he argued with Cutaia after the play.

“I called [Cutaia] over and said, ‘Why are you debating that if there wasn’t a problem? And I’m telling you there was a problem because [Kelly] did not catch that ball,’ ” Tedford said. “And he said that most of them thought he did [catch it].

“The call was wrong ... but once a decision is made, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Cal cornerback James Bethea said Palmer, who allowed Kelly to elude Asomugha by scrambling on the play, should never have gotten the pass off in the first place.

“We should have had him sacked on that play,” Bethea said. “We didn’t and you see what happened, they scored.”

*

Palmer passed for 289 yards and moved into third place on the Pac-10 all-time passing list with 9,509 yards. The fifth-year senior trails only Cade McNown of UCLA (10,368 yards in 1995-98) and Steve Stenstrom of Stanford (10,911 in 1991-94).