Officials slammed for sideline interference call against Alabama in Oklahoma CFP game
By David Wasson
Published:
One of the nagging narratives opposing fans have against Alabama is that the Crimson Tide get all the calls from officials – a narrative that got shot down in a big way late in the first half against Oklahoma on Friday night in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
With the Tide and Sooners tied at 17 and Alabama having just forced a 4th down on the field, an official 40 yards away from the line of scrimmage bumped into a Crimson Tide assistant on their sideline and immediately threw his flag – signaling sideline interference and a 15-yard penalty that came with an automatic Oklahoma first down near midfield.
The penalty gave Oklahoma a first down and touched off a sideline tantrum by Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer – but it ultimately didn’t hurt the Tide. Oklahoma’s John Mateer would complete a short pass to midfield but then absorb a sack back to the Sooners 47. Mateer would find Tory Blaylock for a 6-yard completion to the Crimson Tide 47, but the 2nd-quarter clock hit 0:00.
The marker was Alabama’s only penalty in the first half, while Oklahoma was flagged twice for 20 yards.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
