What Do They Watch In There?

SEC replay officials again leave you wondering what they are watching in there. It certainly does not appear they are watching the game, but maybe reruns of the Jeff Foxworthy show instead. In the fourth quarter of today's game at Alabama, LSU corner Patrick Peterson intercepted a Greg McElroy pass to give the Tigers the ball trailing by six with a chance to win the game. The ruling on the field was incomplete, out of bounds. Replays showed Peterson's left foot in the field of play near the sideline. It was close to the sideline, but it was clearly in. Still shots of the replay show the ball in his hands with his foot down, but replay officials apparently did not find it to be conclusive enough to overturn the incorrect call. It is understandable that they do not want to continually reverse close possession calls, but boundary rulings are cut and dry. You are either in or out, and he was clearly just inside the line. As far as I know the rule book only says you have to be inside the line, not a yard inside the line. Alabama instead was able to maintain possession and kick a field goal to put the game away. Who know if LSU would have scored to take the lead, but they at least earned the opportunity to try. Patrick Peterson played a great game and made a game changing play only to have it taken away by inept review officials. The SEC will again spend their week discussing poor officiating. The photo below shows the divot created by Peterson's foot and gives you an idea of how far in he was.