One of the talking points after LSU’s season-opening victory over No. 4 Clemson Saturday night was the LSU touchdown that was taken away.
The game was tied 10-10 in the third quarter, and LSU receiver Barrion Brown made a one-handed catch, secured the ball and crossed the plane of the end zone for what should’ve been a touchdown. His catch of the pass from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was initially ruled first-and-goal at the one-yard line, but it went under review to see if Brown had gone in for a touchdown.
Rather than declaring the play a touchdown, the pass was surprisingly called incomplete since Brown lost possession of the football at the end of the catch. Yet, once the ball, while secure, crosses the goal line, it should be a touchdown.
The ABC-TV commentators, even the off-site review expert, unanimously agreed – after watching the replay several times – that it was a touchdown. Yet, the game officials (from the Southeastern Conference) shockingly overturned Brown’s TD catch.
The next morning a friend said that had to be “the worst (football) officiating call ever” in his lifetime. On the day after, some things appear larger than they really are. It was bad, but not as bad as some in the past, especially because it didn’t affect the outcome. LSU overcame that adversity to score again and deny Clemson from scoring to earn its first season-opening victory since 2019, the Tigers’ last NCAA championship season.
Another Louisiana school, Tulane, was victimized by one of the all-time bad officiating mistakes. Miami, playing at home, was given a fifth down on its game-winning drive against the Green Wave. It happened in 1972.
With Tulane leading 21-17 late in the contest, the Hurricanes drove into the Tulane red zone. They got an 11-yard completion on third down, but the play was nullified by a five-yard penalty for illegal procedure. On the third-down do-over, Tulane sacked the quarterback for an 11-yard loss. On fourth-and-24 from the Tulane 32, the quarterback overthrew his receiver, seemingly clinching a victory for the Green Wave.
No such luck. The officials, apparently confused and having lost track of the downs following the penalty for illegal procedure, awarded Miami another down. No game officials or chain gang members – nor even Tulane coach Bennie Ellender — seemed to initially realize the mistake. On its fifth down, Miami scored on a 32-yard touchdown pass with just 1:05 remaining.
Miami’s coach, Fran Curci, thenceforth was nicknamed “Fifth Down Fran.”
Another Louisiana team, albeit in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints, were dealt an excruciating gut punch with an infamous no-call in the 2019 NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams. It’s widely regarded as the worst officiating mistake in NFL history.
Neither side judge Gary Cavaletto nor down judge Patrick Turner blew his whistle after Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman collided with Saints receiver Tommylee Lewis a second before Drew Brees’ third-down pass arrived in the right flat. This was in the final minutes of the game.
If that wasn’t pass interference, bees don’t make honey. Former NFL referee Mike Pereira on the Fox broadcast said the collision could have warranted a personal foul call on Robey-Coleman for helmet-to-helmet contact on Lewis.
The Rams went on to win in overtime, denying NFL fans of a quarterback matchup between Brees and Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. Instead, Brady and the New England Patriots beat the Rams, 13-3, in the lowest scoring game in Super Bowl history.
As for another bit of perspective about LSU’s win over Clemson, it might’ve been the most exciting season-opener, but it wasn’t the only time the Tigers did well against a top 10 team in an opener. In 1959, the Tigers defeated No. 9 Rice, 14-6, and did so as the top-ranked defending national champions.
In 1976, following back-to-back 5-win seasons, unranked LSU opened the ’76 season at home against No. 1 Nebraska, a 13-point favorite. The Tigers, who absorbed a valiant 10-7 defeat to the Cornhuskers in 1975 in Lincoln, shocked the nation by tying Nebraska, 6-6. Mike Conway kicked field goals of 35 and 18 yards, and he had a chance to win the game late but missed a 46-yard attempt that was wide right – “by about the length of a cornstalk,” according to Alexandria Town Talk sports editor Bil Carter.
LSU finished 7-3-1 in 1976. Nebraska finished 9-3 and ranked No. 9 in the AP poll that year.