In the old days, you'd be right. However, since they changed the rule to be like the NFL, the 40 second play clock starts as soon as the play is over. The game clock can be stopped until they reset the ball, but the play clock is already running. I'd have to see the entire sequence to see if it took an entire 40 seconds after the play for the official to call the delay of game.
The ref definitely stood over ball to let Bama get their substitutions on the field while the play clock was running. That has got to be wrong. But the clock is there for everyone to see. Lee should have had his team on the line and ready to snap it when the ref got out of the way.
I saw that fumble too, and wondered the same thing when I texted my daughter who lives outside of BR. It would seem that that should've been ruled a safety.
I was sitting right there. LSU was ready to go. The ref was over the ball and would not let them snap it. He just stood there until the clock ran out and then they throw the flag. Only way to explain it is either gross incompetence or blatant cheating by the officiating crew.
Watching it a home, both of those calls were correct. Richardson broke the plane before his butt hit and the ball came out after he broke the plane. On the kickoff, the momentum of the ball carried it into the endzone (even though it deflected off of a Bama player) and it was never brought out of the end zone. Both good calls. The delay of game thing... I dunno, I will need to watch it again with a stop watch...
It was a touchdown. He had control of the ball until he crossed the plane and his hand hit the ground. They explained the fumble on the kickoff. I forgot what they said though, except that it was the right call. We won. No reason to get worked up over calls.
Watchin in all its hi-def glory, it was a touchdown. It did seem however that the delay penalty was bs...
It was a lot closer than that. In my opinion, as the ball crossed the plane, he was fumbling the ball, which is what the LSU defenders were arguing. I felt that, instead of an Alabama TD, it should have been LSU's ball at the 20. Regardless, my daughter's best friend's father is a Bama alum. Last year, the Friday night after the LSU/Bama game, we ran into them at a Tex-Mex place where they eat every, single Friday night. We walked in, and the Bama alum's first words to me were (regarding the PP interception that wasn't), "Well, it was a bad call, but we dominated you guys anyway." Hmmm...they still go to that same place every Friday night, and I'm going to make SURE I show up at El Norte next Friday night. I have my opening line planned, "Well, Richardson didn't really score a touchdown, but we dominated you guys anyway."
Those calls were all correct. The delay penalty sucks but there was no ref shenanigans. The ref stood over the ball because LSU substituted after the 4th down play and by rule Bama had to be allowed time to sub their players in as well. It's was legit even though the rule sucks. It's there to keep an offense from subbing right before the snap of the ball and the defense not having enough time to respond with personnel changes. The Bama TD was definitely legit as well. NO fumble as his butt was clearly down before the ball came out and the ball was clearly over the line before the butt touched down. All in all it was a pretty good job by the ref crew except that they let rampant holding take place in the trenches all day. It seemed to go both ways though (I thougt we got held a little more often but I'm biased).
