Did Tulane miss out on a potential lead against No. 17 Kansas State?

With Kansas State leading 34-27, Yulkeith Brown appeared to catch a TD pass with 17 seconds left. However, Dontae Fleming was penalized for offensive pass interference and the TD was waved off.

Look at this.

Yes, Fleming was in the way of his defender. But the player he was matched against was focused on Fleming the entire time and made no effort to cover Brown. Pick plays are often used for offensive pass interference when a receiver interferes with the defender who is covering another player. In this case, cornerback Jacob Parrish did not move toward Brown until he saw the pass thrown.

If Brown’s touchdown had stood, Tulane could have scored an extra point to tie the game or gone for a game-winning two-point conversion. Instead, the Green Wave was pushed back 15 yards and Darian Mensah threw an interception in the end zone two plays later.

The punishment could have season-ending implications for the College Football Playoff. Tulane is one of the top teams outside the Power Four conferences and a contender for a Group of Five spot in the expanded College Football Playoff. A win over Kansas State on Saturday would have done a lot for Tulane’s resume if the Green Wave had won the AAC and finished with the same record as a team like Boise State.

Instead, Kansas State escaped for a home test in Week 3 against No. 20 Arizona. The two Big 12 teams meet Friday in a non-conference game, despite being in the same conference. The game had been scheduled before Arizona’s move to the Big 12 this summer.