‘Refs Need To Be Held More Accountable’ — Alabama’s Loss to Georgia Prompts CFB Analyst To Question Officials Without Placing Full Blame
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Alabama’s 20-17 loss to Georgia has sparked debate over a controversial officiating decision late in the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide had a chance to tie the game, but a missed pass interference call in the end zone left fans frustrated.
College football analyst Aaron Torres believes the officials made a costly mistake, but he doesn’t think they were solely responsible for Alabama’s loss. He also pointed to several mistakes by the Crimson Tide that hurt their chances late in the game.
Aaron Torres Looks Beyond Refs After Alabama’s Loss to Georgia
Speaking on the Aaron Torres Podcast, Torres criticized the missed pass interference call. Late in the fourth quarter, Alabama was driving into Georgia territory when sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell threw a pass to Rico Scott in the end zone.
A Georgia defender appeared to knock Scott down before the ball arrived, but the officials did not throw a flag. The decision drew an angry reaction from Alabama’s sideline and added to the frustration surrounding the loss.
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“I will be blunt. I think it was a terrible missed call. I think the refs need to be held more accountable,” Torres said.
However, he stopped short of saying the officials cost Alabama the game. Torres also pointed to head coach Kalen DeBoer’s postgame comments, in which he acknowledged that the Crimson Tide could not leave the outcome in the hands of the officials.
Torres argued that both things could be true: the officials made a significant mistake, but Alabama also had opportunities to change the outcome.
Alabama’s Own Mistakes Hurt Its Chances
After the missed call, Alabama still had a chance to tie the game. But Russell was sacked for a nine-yard loss on the next play, pushing the Crimson Tide out of field goal range.
Alabama, which ranks 12th on PFN’s CFB Offense Impact Metric, eventually punted the ball back to Georgia instead of attempting a game-tying kick. The Crimson Tide still had all three timeouts and the two-minute timeout, giving the defense a chance to get the ball back.
However, Alabama’s hopes ended after a costly penalty by sophomore cornerback Dijon Lee Jr. Following a short Georgia run, Lee shoved a Bulldogs receiver in the helmet after the whistle.
The officials called it unsportsmanlike conduct, giving Georgia an automatic first down. That allowed the Bulldogs to run out the clock and secure the 20-17 victory.
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“It’s hard to blame the refs,” Torres said. “After that play, Keelon Russell takes a sack. After that play, Alabama has a chance to stop Georgia… Then Dijon Lee gets the dumb penalty. So it’s hard for me to blame the ref.”
The missed pass interference call remains a major talking point, but Alabama’s late-game execution also played a role in the defeat.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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