Worst. Call. Ever.

[TargetPractice6]

So I went to the Kentucky - Auburn game today. The score looks pretty ugly (49-27), but the refs were EXTREMELY bad today. I've never been so angry at the officiating. I nominate this crew as one of the worst in the history of the game, and I hope I'm saying that in an unbiased way.

First:
We are up 7-0 in the first quarter. Auburn is driving well into Kentucky territory. Then they fumble the ball and we return it 10-15 yards before the player is tackled. BUT WAIT! They rule the guy DOWN. Evidentally since the play was blown dead the call could not be overturned, but they did some sort of review anyway. WHAT WERE THEY REVIEWING? But the point is that it was horrible call that changed the game in the first quarter. It was painfully obvious that it was fumble... I'm pissed off at this point. We lose this game most likely anyway, but we could have turned that turnover into an early 14 point lead... Potentially a 14 point swing from what actually happened.

Second:
We're down 14-10 midway through the second quarter and the bastards strike again. This is what I nominate as the worst call ever. I think the AP report can explain it best:

Auburn caught another break from the officials midway through the second quarter.


Rodriguez went out of bounds, then came back in before catching a 41-yard pass from Brandon Cox and stepping into the end zone.

An offensive player who goes out of bounds on a play cannot be the first player to touch the football after coming back inbounds, but officials ruled that Kentucky cornerback Antoine Huffman blocked Rodriguez out of bounds and allowed the touchdown to stand. Replays showed Rodriguez had pushed Huffman before going out of bounds, but that wasn't reviewable.

Brooks said it was ``obvious (offensive) pass interference'' but added that ``I know we're not going to get any breaks on this stuff.''

Kentucky coaches protested the call so much they drew two personal fouls, and a few fans threw items onto the Commonwealth Stadium field. When officials exited the field at halftime, a dozen uniformed officers were present on the field and in the stands for crowd-control purposes. Kentucky athletic department spokesman Scott Stricklin said neither the officiating crew nor the replay official would comment about their calls.

Now this was INFURIATINGLY obvious. The receiver was not forced out in any way at all. He WILLINGLY ran out of bounds and our defender followed him. I didn't see ANY contact, but based on that report there was some initiated by the receiver! That's 14 points they gave Aurburn. The referees essentially decided the game for Auburn in the first half, and it is simply ridiculous.

And this compounds with the officiatingly last week when we played Mississippi State. The refs were very poor then too, but at least they made bad calls for both teams.

I'm through with SEC officials. They suck. I know most of you don't care, but I just needed to vent.

[bhlloy]

Honest question here... are any of the college ref crews any good? I know the PAC-10 ones this year have been absolutely awful, especially on review calls. It's embarrasing with the amount of money in college football.

I've heard a lot of bad things about SEC officials now I come to think of it, but haven't seen enough games to make a definite comment. Are other conferences as bad?

[timmynausea]

I think everyone in college football complains about their refs. I've heard plenty of complaints about the Big East and ACC crews.

[cthomer5000]

I think the call in the Rutgers game might have been the worst ever today.

Ryan Hart (Rutgers) throws a pass, which bounces of his receivers fingers, is intercepted by South Florida and returned for a touchdown. Flag on the play - pass intereference South Florida.

Now the refs get together, huddle, and decide the ball must have been tipped, waving off the penalty. touchdown stands.

Now why didn't they go to the instant replay (which they can?). The replay made it 100% obvious the ball was NOT tipped, and that the pass just sucked so bad that it looked like it had been tipped.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by TargetPractice6

So I went to the Kentucky - Auburn game today. The score looks pretty ugly (49-27), but the refs were EXTREMELY bad today. I've never been so angry at the officiating. I nominate this crew as one of the worst in the history of the game, and I hope I'm saying that in an unbiased way.

First:
We are up 7-0 in the first quarter. Auburn is driving well into Kentucky territory. Then they fumble the ball and we return it 10-15 yards before the player is tackled. BUT WAIT! They rule the guy DOWN. Evidentally since the play was blown dead the call could not be overturned, but they did some sort of review anyway. WHAT WERE THEY REVIEWING? But the point is that it was horrible call that changed the game in the first quarter. It was painfully obvious that it was fumble... I'm pissed off at this point. We lose this game most likely anyway, but we could have turned that turnover into an early 14 point lead... Potentially a 14 point swing from what actually happened.

Second:
We're down 14-10 midway through the second quarter and the bastards strike again. This is what I nominate as the worst call ever. I think the AP report can explain it best:

Now this was INFURIATINGLY obvious. The receiver was not forced out in any way at all. He WILLINGLY ran out of bounds and our defender followed him. I didn't see ANY contact, but based on that report there was some initiated by the receiver! That's 14 points they gave Aurburn. The referees essentially decided the game for Auburn in the first half, and it is simply ridiculous.

And this compounds with the officiatingly last week when we played Mississippi State. The refs were very poor then too, but at least they made bad calls for both teams.

I'm through with SEC officials. They suck. I know most of you don't care, but I just needed to vent.

I'm sure no one will be complaining about calls in Kentucky games once basketball season rolls around.

[Airhog]

The big12 games I have watched have had pretty average reffing. No huge calls that I see being blown, but the only big12 game I have watched so far have been OU games.

[Greyroofoo]

its amazing how there's a seemingly "worst call ever" every single week

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Airhog

The big12 games I have watched have had pretty average reffing. No huge calls that I see being blown, but the only big12 game I have watched so far have been OU games.

That's because your team gets all those calls so of course you don't complain

SI

[Glengoyne]

Actually I'm still having trouble choking down that Fair Catch Interferance penalty on Monday night a few weeks ago. Where the guy calls a fair catch, bobbles it, and the ball goes right into the arms of a player on the kicking team. Fair Catch Interferance...Ugh.

That one was just unbelievable to me, and I'm a Raider fan who is Okay with the "tuck rule".

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

Actually I'm still having trouble choking down that Fair Catch Interferance penalty on Monday night a few weeks ago. Where the guy calls a fair catch, bobbles it, and the ball goes right into the arms of a player on the kicking team. Fair Catch Interferance...Ugh.

That one was just unbelievable to me, and I'm a Raider fan who is Okay with the "tuck rule".

And the sad part is they got that call right. By the books anyway. Unbelievable.

[Donnie Baker]

Originally Posted by TargetPractice6

So I went to the Kentucky - Auburn game today. The score looks pretty ugly (49-27), but the refs were EXTREMELY bad today. I've never been so angry at the officiating. I nominate this crew as one of the worst in the history of the game, and I hope I'm saying that in an unbiased way.

First:
We are up 7-0 in the first quarter. Auburn is driving well into Kentucky territory. Then they fumble the ball and we return it 10-15 yards before the player is tackled. BUT WAIT! They rule the guy DOWN. Evidentally since the play was blown dead the call could not be overturned, but they did some sort of review anyway. WHAT WERE THEY REVIEWING? But the point is that it was horrible call that changed the game in the first quarter. It was painfully obvious that it was fumble... I'm pissed off at this point. We lose this game most likely anyway, but we could have turned that turnover into an early 14 point lead... Potentially a 14 point swing from what actually happened.

Second:
We're down 14-10 midway through the second quarter and the bastards strike again. This is what I nominate as the worst call ever. I think the AP report can explain it best:

Now this was INFURIATINGLY obvious. The receiver was not forced out in any way at all. He WILLINGLY ran out of bounds and our defender followed him. I didn't see ANY contact, but based on that report there was some initiated by the receiver! That's 14 points they gave Aurburn. The referees essentially decided the game for Auburn in the first half, and it is simply ridiculous.

And this compounds with the officiatingly last week when we played Mississippi State. The refs were very poor then too, but at least they made bad calls for both teams.

I'm through with SEC officials. They suck. I know most of you don't care, but I just needed to vent.

14 points they "gave" Auburn, who can we blame the other 35 on?

I'm sure that there were absolutely no bad calls that went against Auburn in the game....

[Donnie Baker]

one of those dola things: What down was that pass on? Was that a definite drive ender if ruled incomplete or would the defense that allowed 49 points (or 35 if you want to the the blame game math) have stopped them on that drive?

[Huckleberry]

Maybe this doesn't count for your purposes because it was a non-call, but nothing will ever be worse than this:

[TargetPractice6]

Originally Posted by Donnie Baker

14 points they "gave" Auburn, who can we blame the other 35 on?

I'm sure that there were absolutely no bad calls that went against Auburn in the game....

Oh please, so now that quality of the team determines how the refs should call the game. "They would have scored anyway, might as well give them a touchdown and make it official." That's just stupid. I know Kentucky's defense is bad, but they should still get a fair shake. Who knows they may have been able to force a turnover, but the refs probably would have let Auburn keep it anyway.

And there were very few calls that went against Auburn at all. Certainly NOTHING of the sort that went against us, I can guarantee you that. Even the Auburn the Auburn fans I talked to after the game agreed the officiating favored them VERY strongly. Again, in no way am I saying UK would have won the game if it weren't for the refs, but those calls completely changed the game at a time when it was still close.