SEC questionable calls, bloopers and ejections: Saban part of Week 10 collection

If there was a theme to officiating this week, it was targeting and non-calls that will have at least one SEC coach calling the league office for an explanation.

But there was at least one surprising entry on the Week 10 collection of questionable calls, bloopers and ejections: Alabama fans took issue with Nick Saban.

Questionable calls

Nick Saban was criticized after he elected to go for it on 4th-and-goal at LSU’s 1-yard line in the second half, instead of kicking a field goal attempt in a 0-0 game.

The BEST Coach can still be guilty of hubris. Leaving 3 on the table in a game like this is highly questionable. I'm no ones robot. Others??

— Tim Brando (@TimBrando) November 6, 2016

https://twitter.com/Elizabeth3YITC/status/795084054076932097

https://twitter.com/ShelbyDallas/status/795083410557562880

https://twitter.com/JustinThind/status/795083746630389760

I'm not a rocket scientist but……kick the damn field goal Saban.

— Eric Robinson (@_Eric_Robinson) November 6, 2016

Derrick Henry, who won a Heisman and helped Saban win his fourth title in seven years at Alabama, also took issue with some of the calls.

RUN AT THEM ! Don't matter if they know what's COMIN ! ????

— Derrick Henry  (@KingHenry_2) November 6, 2016

A Nick Chubb fumble initially called down was reversed after a second review to give Kentucky the ball early in the fourth quarter. The referee announced that a new camera angle was discovered.

Hanging chads on the field apparently. Fumble Georgia. Cats take over.

— Jen Smith (@ByJenSmith) November 6, 2016

Reviewing a review. Come on @SEC

— The Dawgbone (@TheDawgbone) November 6, 2016

Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen voiced his displeasure with a non-call block in the back penalty on Christian Kirk’s punt return for a touchdown. But some Bulldogs fans appreciated Mullen’s reaction.

Dan Mullen is furious there was no block in the back penalty called. Mullen gets flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.

— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomon35) November 5, 2016

The unsportsmanlike conduct call on Dan Mullen is the only penalty I'm willing to accept. love his passion for the team. #hailstate

— Ashley Kelley (@ashmkelley) October 28, 2012

https://twitter.com/TayRay_8/status/794956826915774465

Auburn running back Kamryn Pettway’s fumble on a play where he was stripped by Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham was reversed. Auburn kept the ball, scored on a touchdown pass the next play.

Vandy coach Derek Mason said he'll be calling SEC commish Greg Sankey & SEC dir/officials Steve Shaw about overturn of Auburn fumble in 3Q

— Adam Sparks (@AdamSparks) November 5, 2016

Hey @GregSankey, this was a fumble, you goon pic.twitter.com/nlzcQmRxRo

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) November 5, 2016

Bloopers

Texas A&M fans, among others, did not appreciate this reaction by an official after a Mississippi State touchdown.

Hey #sec, why are your refs rooting for MSU? #TAMUvsMSU #wtf pic.twitter.com/zQi24HUh5T

— J (@JAg332) November 5, 2016

An SEC spokesman clarified the official’s reaction.

The motion is a common non-verbal communication signal of clamping the whistle used by umpire to signal a clean TD to officials on the wing https://t.co/iyfDDlXLjz

— Chuck Dunlap ? (@SEC_Chuck) November 5, 2016

The umpire made the same motion on virtually every touchdown today, including those by Texas A&M.

— Chuck Dunlap ? (@SEC_Chuck) November 5, 2016

Missouri quarterback Drew Lock is a firm believer in the 5-second rule, even something thrown from the opponent’s student section.

Drew Lock: 1
Fan Throwing Water Bottle: 0 pic.twitter.com/hNVNdvXCyZ

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 5, 2016

The only business decision worse than drinking from a bottle a fan threw at you is spending $5 on bottled water and throwing it @ Drew Lock.

— David Ubben (@davidubben) November 5, 2016

Drew Lock drinking out of that water bottle that some fan threw at him during the South Carolina is both disgusting and great #Mizzou

— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) November 5, 2016

An official in the Georgia-Kentucky game reportedly pulled a muscle in his leg, and was looked at by the Kentucky training staff. He was shown riding a stationary bike on the sideline.

This is a new one. #UGAvsUK pic.twitter.com/DchUT5Iu0E

— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 6, 2016

https://twitter.com/raegan_camp/status/795083219406356481

https://twitter.com/ugadrewsy/status/795083144013684737

Ejections

Targeting meant an early exit for several players in Week 10, including two players in the Missouri-South Carolina game, both against sliding quarterbacks.

Missouri linebacker Cale Garrett was ejected early in first half on a hit against Jake Bentley. The thin South Carolina secondary took another hit when Chris Lammons was ejected for the second straight week for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Missouri QB Drew Lock.

Auburn linebacker Deshaun Davis was also booted in the first quarter against Vanderbilt. Davis launched himself at Kalija Lipscomb on a slant route. Because it was in the first half, Davis can return to play next week at Georgia.

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.