Missouri is pushing the SEC to open up its replay process after Saturday’s 34-20 loss to No. 7 Texas, a game that left the Tigers frustrated by a string of overturned calls and a fourth-quarter feel of things slipping away.
The biggest flashpoint came in the third quarter, when Arch Manning fumbled on a 3rd and 10. What many on the field initially believed was an incomplete pass turned into a 14-yard gain, and three plays later Texas found the end zone to tie the game. From there, the Longhorns ripped off three straight scores and pulled away on the road.
Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz did not unload publicly, but it was clear he was biting his tongue.
“My job is to respond to the situations,” Drinkwitz said. “They have officials.
They have a crew from the SEC that calls in. And they reviewed it.
So I don’t know what to tell you. If I say what I want to say, I’m going to get fined until I don’t have any retirement.
And I’m not going to do that, because I’m not going to blame the officials. That’d be disrespectful.”
The SEC later defended the ruling, saying the replay review did not meet the standard to overturn the call.
“The ruling on the field was a fumble,” a conference spokesperson said. “In replay review, it was determined there was not clear and obvious video evidence that he had firm control of the ball when the hand intentionally started forward in order to overturn the call.”
On Monday, Missouri athletics director Laird Veatch took the issue a step further, saying the conference needs to be more open about how replay decisions are made.
“After the game Saturday, we requested a formal review and response from the SEC regarding the officiating. Consistent with SEC expectations, we will not make those conversations or responses public, other than that we have not received anything inconsistent with what the conference has already shared publicly,“ Veatch said.
“This experience has reinforced my belief that our lack of transparency in the replay booth, particularly when other conferences have taken steps to provide it, allows for an environment of speculation and mistrust. Together with President Choi, we will be strong advocates for that change within the SEC this offseason.”
Veatch’s point lines up with a system already in use elsewhere. He is asking for something similar to the real-time audio and video from replay booths and operations centers that two conferences now share. The ACC started that approach last season, and the Big Ten followed this year.
And Missouri’s frustration wasn’t limited to the Manning fumble. The Tigers had a touchdown run by quarterback Austin Simmons wiped out early in the first quarter, then lost a touchdown catch later in that same quarter and had to settle for a field goal. In the third quarter, Cayden Lee had another catch overturned, turning what could have been a red-zone chance into a long field goal.
Texas also had one major ruling go against it. Right before halftime, Lee was fighting for extra yardage on a catch when the ball came loose and Jelani McDonald recovered it for the Longhorns in field-goal range. Officials ruled Lee’s forward progress had been stopped.
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