USC-Auburn ending

[BigOrange Maniac]

My volume was turned down at the end of the South Carolina-Auburn game, so I missed any explanation (assuming there was one given) of why the officials didn't review the final play and put some time back on the clock. Unless I missed something, it was a first down and there was clearly time left on the clock (probably two seconds but at least one) when he went down. It looked to me like USCe got screwed in that one.

Regardless, I continue to be less and less impressed with South Carolina. Georgia is looking better, but they're still coached by Mark Richt and I think Tennessee can win this game next week...in fact, Tennessee probably should win this game considering that this is a home game.

If we can win two of these October games, I think that's as much as anyone would've hoped for coming into the season. LSU is a very good team, but I think it will be close enough due to their lack of offense that we can have a snowball's chance at the end if we catch a break or two. I hate to think about what's going to happen when we play Alabama. That one is probably going to be U-G-L-Y.

[BigOrange Maniac]

Btw, Spurrier really screwed himself at the end of that game. He just isn't as sharp as he once was...which makes me think that he's going to retire to the links sooner rather than later, especially with NCAA sanctions looming.

After the play that resulted in a 3rd (I think) and short at midfield, he didn't use his last time out, even though the clock was still running. The ball carrier went down with 28 seconds remaining. By the time they got the ball snapped and picked up the first down, there were 12 seconds remaining. And then he used his final time out. Why in the world not use a time out to stop the clock before the first down, set up a good running play to get the first down, plus the next play, and you've probably got something like 20 or 21 seconds left when the clock is stopped to move the chains rather than 12 seconds.

[BigOrange Maniac]

After reading recaps of the game, apparently the officials said his knee went down with no time on the clock and the SEC issued a statement saying the officials followed the correct procedure. It gets really old seeing the conference brass defend inept officiating. How in the hell was it correct procedure when you don't review the play? That's what review is there for. (Not to mention the fact that a review would have CLEARLY put at least one second back on the clock.)

If the clock had stopped correctly, USCe probably wouldn't have been able to get their field goal team on and get set up before the clock was restarted and one second ran off...so it wouldn't hardly be justice if a review allowed them to get their FG team on and ready to snap the ball, in essence giving them more time. But you have to get that call right.

[droner]

The clock had one second when his knee hit the ground but zero seconds when the whistle blew. According to the explanation I heard, they couldn't review that. I don't know why, but that's the scuttlebutt.

[BanditVol]

I saw that whole sequence live.  It did appear that his knee hit the ground with a second left.  That, being a first down, would stop the clock.  However, I don't see any way in hell that USC could get the FG kicking team out there on time.

[EmerilVOL]

I saw that whole sequence live.  It did appear that his knee hit the ground with a second left.  That, being a first down, would stop the clock.  However, I don't see any way in hell that USC could get the FG kicking team out there on time.

Here is the sequence as explained by about twelve people that have played the game.....

Receiver caught the ball with 2 seconds left...he was going down and his knee hit when the clock shows 1 second left....but was there actually only one second left or .8 seconds left.  We shall never know because there is not tenths of a second on the clock.  The ref then ran up to mark the position and to declare the ball dead and as he is doing this the clock ticked over to 0 seconds left.  Game over.  (This from one of my contacts that are refs in high school and college games).  The ref told me that the officials called it correctly and did everything by the booko.  Spurrier screwed himself and it was not inept officiating.

[TheRealOrange]

This is another thing that bothers me about instant replay.  People want that last second reviewed, but the clock never stops immediately as a player hits the ground when making a first down or when touching out of bounds.  Throughout the game, the clock stops when the officials signal for the clock to stop, and it is NEVER instantaneous with contact with the ground or touching out of bounds.  There is always a lag.  I see no reason to review where the clock stood when the player's knee touched; it's when the official signaled for the clock to stop, just like at all other times throughout the game.  I hate instant replay, I really do.  Because of the silly standard of review, they still get it wrong a lot.  Just change the review standard to "get t right" and forget what was called on the field.  If you can't figure out what is "right" then stick with the call on the field.  In this case, it was right on the field and should have stayed "right" on review IMO.  Of course, my opinion ain't really worth much.   

[BanditVol]

I agree with Emeril and TRO.  It was called right, although close. 

Maybe if SOS had a TO left it would matter, but in this case the ref almost certainly blew the whistle at 0 and that's what counts.

[BigOrange Maniac]

Agreed that at any other point in the game, the clock stops when the play is blown dead. However, in both college and the NFL, end-of-half and end-of-game situations are frequently reviewed and the clock is always ruled to stop when the player's knee is down. Right or wrong, fair or unfair, that's the precedent. South Carolina got screwed.

Of course, it would all have been a moot point if Spurrier hadn't bungled the clock situation with a Les Miles trick earlier in the drive.

[TheRealOrange]

Agreed that at any other point in the game, the clock stops when the play is blown dead. However, in both college and the NFL, end-of-half and end-of-game situations are frequently reviewed and the clock is always ruled to stop when the player's knee is down. Right or wrong, fair or unfair, that's the precedent. South Carolina got screwed.

Of course, it would all have been a moot point if Spurrier hadn't bungled the clock situation with a Les Miles trick earlier in the drive.

While I have seen one-second changes (though rare), I do not recall them being changed based on the moment of contact or touching out of bounds.  They seem to review when the official signaled for the clock stoppage, but maybe I am mis-remembering.  I can't speak to the NFL, as I watch it very rarely.  Hey, I was rooting for South Carolina due to a family friend working in the program, but....   

[GreggO]

Heard SEC official Rocky Goode explain this situation today:

When USC moved the ball close to the first down line, the official had to determine if it was a first down before blowing the whistle. Hence, the time ran off the clock. Had the play generated an obvious first down, the ref would have blown the whistle right away. But, that didn't happen.

Further, it's not a reviewable play. Had it been an obvious first down, the ref could have added time back on the clock with a review.


G