Georgia fans furious over blown calls in 2nd half that changed the game
Beating Alabama in Monday’s college football championship game wasn’t going to be easy for the University of Georgia. But Bulldog fans will tell you their team’s task was made much more difficult by some questionable officiating in the game’s second half.
Georgia surprised most of the college football world by shutting out the Crimson Tide in the first half, taking a 13-0 lead into the intermission. Alabama’s offensive futility continued with a three-and-out on its opening drive of the second half.
The Dawgs appeared poised to add to that lead after Tyler Simmons blocked Alabama’s punt deep in Crimson Tide territory.
Referees just blew that offside call that resulted in Blocked Punt. #CFPNationalChampionship #GoDawgs #RollTide pic.twitter.com/PAog4eXJVX
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) January 9, 2018
But officials ruled Simmons was offside on the play, even though replays showed he had not crossed the line of scrimmage prior to the snap (replays also seemed to show at least one and maybe two Alabama players moved prior to the snap).
Alabama punted again after the 5-yard penalty and Georgia took over at its own 36.
An even more blatant gaffe by the officials happened three plays later, when Georgia running back D’Andre Swift was tackled by Alabama’s Isaiah Buggs. Replays showed Buggs grabbed Swift’s face mask on the play, but no penalty was called.
Another blown call by the refs. Obvious Facemask that was missed.#nationalchampinship #godawgs #rolltide #cfbplayoff pic.twitter.com/I2Am7Tef4t
— DAN (@danWorthington) January 9, 2018
Instead of a 15-yard penalty and a first down, Georgia punted to Alabama, which scored a touchdown on the next drive to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 13-7.
On a fourth-and-4 with just under four minutes remaining in regulation, the Crimson Tide tied the game on a 7-yard pass from freshman standout Tua Tagovailoa to Calvin Ridley. However, replays showed another possible missed penalty, as it appeared Najee Harris (No. 22) may have moved just prior to the snap.
Georgia fans were also upset when Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson shoved quarterback Jake Fromm’s head to the ground after a tackle, but there was no personal foul penalty called.
Mack Wilson just shoved Jake Fromm into the ground!!!!!! No call???? Are you kidding me?????
— Dawg Post Recruiting (@UgaRecruitNews) January 9, 2018
The NCAA assigned an officiating crew from the Big Ten to Monday’s title game.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart did not make reference to any of the questionable calls during his postgame press conference.
“We told our team that this game wouldn’t be decided by past traditions or anything else. It was going to be decided by performances that happened on the field,” Smart said. “Our guys performed on the field, competed.
“But in overtime we didn’t finish when we had to and Alabama did. Give them credit, but I think everybody can see that Georgia’s going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
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