Both LSU and South Carolina Think Their Refs Were Bad

Days after LSU football beat South Carolina 36-33, coaches, writers, and fans are all still questioning the officiating in the game. Not just one side either, both representatives from the LSU and South Carolina camps are making noise.

For South Carolina, writers and fans are getting louder and louder about numerous calls during the game. They have grievances with horse collar tackle calls and late hit calls (called against them, and not called in their favor as well). Now, not all of these were egregious calls the way that South Carolina fans would like you to believe. One of the calls they're upset by was a blindside block against LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier on an interception...something that hasn't been legal in almost a decade of college football. Here's the play:

The call didn't give the ball back to LSU, it happened after the change of possession. All the call did was negate the touchdown. Same way a holding penalty or block in the back call would.

On the LSU side, Head Coach Brian Kelly is actually one of the loudest voices when it comes to problems with the officials on Saturday. His beef comes from a particular play, a blocked punt. Kelly is so irritated at the lack of a call, he has submitted it to the SEC offices for formal review.

Here's a look at the play first:

Now, what is Kelly's problem with this play? Its the way the rule is written. The rule reads: "...it is a foul if a defensive player who in inside the tackle box tries to block a punt by leaving his feet and leaping into the plane directly above the frame of the body of an opponent."

If you watch the clip, you see the player making the block, #44, lines up in the guard-gap, clearly in the tackle box. The player then clearly leaves his feet as he reaches the second line of blockers, directly in front of those blockers, and the punter.

Kelly sent the play to the league offices, but don't expect any grand apology.