SEC officiating is once again at the center of controversy — and this time, it came during a nail-biting showdown between South Carolina and Alabama.
While Auburn coach Hugh Freeze has voiced his frustrations about questionable calls this season, the Gamecocks found themselves in the middle of a similar debate on Saturday afternoon.
Early in the fourth quarter, with South Carolina clinging to a 15-14 lead, the Gamecocks punted the ball downfield. Alabama’s return man signaled his teammates to move away from the landing spot, but chaos ensued when a Gamecock player appeared to push a Crimson Tide blocker in the back, forcing him into the ball.
South Carolina quickly recovered the live ball, setting up a touchdown drive that extended their lead to 22-14 — a pivotal moment late in the game.
Although Alabama rallied to pull off the comeback win, the controversial sequence didn’t go unnoticed. Fans, analysts, and even former officials questioned why no penalty was called on what appeared to be an illegal block in the back.
Former NFL referee and current rules analyst Terry McAulay took to social media to break down the play, explaining that not one, but two potential fouls should have been called.
“It is a foul for an illegal block in the back,” McAulay wrote. “The receiving team player being blocked is considered ‘passive’ since he is not actively engaged with the kicking team player. That block forces him into the ball. Since he is considered ‘passive,’ he is deemed not to have touched the ball. Assuming no one else from the receiving team touched it before the kickers, the ball should belong to the receiving team at the spot of the kicking team recovery.”
In short, McAulay argued that Alabama should have retained possession, and the block itself should have drawn a flag.
The veteran official even followed up with a sarcastic post, hinting that the referees involved might face consequences:
“There are actually two issues here… It is a foul for an illegal block in the back… The receiving team player being blocked is considered ‘passive’…”
His comments arrive just days after the SEC suspended an official for a blown call during the Georgia-Auburn matchup, intensifying scrutiny on the conference’s officiating crews.
With postseason implications on the line and fans growing increasingly vocal, the SEC’s officiating department finds itself under more pressure than ever — and Saturday’s Gamecock-Tide controversy has only added fuel to the fire.
