was controversial, meaning there is controversy over whether it was the right or the wrong call.
A controversial call implies debate over the call, meaning whether it was right or wrong, is warranted. That reasonable minds could disagree.
In the case of many holding calls, pass interference calls, and unsportsmanlike penalties they are often subjective…and a controversy erupts when reasonable minds disagree over whether the call was right or wrong.
When people write “controversial call gives byu chance to win” the implication is that the call might have been a bad call. And that is wrong. It was not a bad call. It was the correct call by every objective measure.