Two momentum-changing calls confirmed by replay that essentially deflated Ohio State's mojo during Saturday's College Football Playoff semifinal vs. Clemson are at the center of the national discussion.
Veteran SEC official Ken Williamson's crew was involved in two controversial rulings — both going against the Buckeyes — and explained his team's decisions in detail after the game.
The most-debated whistle came midway through the third quarter when Ohio State defensive back Jordan Fuller scooped and scored what was initially ruled a fumble by Clemson wideout Justyn Ross near the sideline after Jeffrey Okudah had ripped the ball out. But instead of a game-changing touchdown, which would've given the Buckeyes a 23-21 lead, the fumble was overturned upon review after officials determined Ross never had full control of the football.
The incomplete pass call sent Ohio State coach Ryan Day off his rocker.
"Instant replay in the stadium as well as back at the video center, they both looked at it slow and fast and they determined when he moved, the ball was becoming loose in his hands and he did not complete the process of the catch," Williamson said after the game. "We had a lot of good (replay) looks on it. We put on fast motion and slow motion. The player did not complete the process of the catch, so, therefore, the pass was incomplete."
The other play in question came with 4:47 left in the second quarter when Ohio State defensive back Shaun Wade was ejected for targeting after making contact with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence's helmet on a third-down sack. Lawrence appeared to crouch before the hit to absorb the impact, which caused the crown of Wade's helmet to make jarring contact with the quarterback's lid.
Williamson said his crew determined it was targeting after replay initiated it and made the call, erasing the routine sack from Wade and making it an ejection.
"This was a crown-of-the-helmet targeting foul. So it did eliminate a lot of other factors," Williamson said. "Initial contact was with the crown of the helmet. Then he wrapped up for the tackle. So at that point, targeting was properly called."
Ohio State's staff was not happy with officiating after the game, specifically those two instances that went against the Buckeyes.
"It is too close right now, and I'm probably too emotional to really talk about those," Day said. "I'll have to look at the film and see what that was. But I know there were some plays that were called on the field and then overturned, and when they overturn it, there has to be undisputable evidence. If that's what they deemed it was, it's going to be something we'll have to take a look at.
"The thing about those plays were certainly that the catch that was returned for a touchdown was such a huge play in the game. The play with Shaun Wade, that was a fourth-down play. It was such a huge play in the game."
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December 29, 2019 at 04:19AM
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