No. 7 Georgia triumphed in a grueling eight-overtime matchup on Saturday night, improving their season record to 10-2. The Bulldogs mounted an impressive fourth-quarter comeback to tie the game and ultimately secured a 44-42 victory over rival Georgia Tech at Sanford Stadium. A controversial call helped Georgia level the score; with nearly two minutes remaining in the game, defensive back Dan Jackson seemed to lead with his helmet into the helmet of Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King.
The collision caused King to fumble, allowing Georgia to recover the ball. Just five plays later, the Bulldogs scored a touchdown to even the game at 27-27. Many fans believed Jackson should have been penalized for targeting on the play, but the SEC officiating crew did not review it. Former NFL official and NBC Sports rules analyst Terry McAulay sided with the fans who felt targeting should have been called.
McAulay stated that the SEC displayed “utter contempt” by choosing not to review the targeting call. “The decision not to examine this for targeting doesn’t just overlook the rule; I’d argue that SEC replay is showing outright disdain for the targeting rule,” McAulay posted on X. “We’ve seen this happening all season across the country. It’s evident that the rules need to be updated. A system that penalizes without disqualification is long overdue.”
The SEC officiating crew’s choice not to review a potential targeting call benefited Georgia, a team that might have faced a tough situation in the College Football Playoff if they had lost to ACC rival Georgia Tech. With three losses, the Bulldogs would have needed to beat Texas in the SEC Championship Game to secure a CFP berth. Had the Yellow Jackets emerged victorious, the conference could have seen a reduced number of teams in the CFP.
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