On this week’s edition of As the SEC Officiating Turns, we find LSU looking like it was on the receiving end of an unfavorable ruling that benefited one of the SEC’s 2009 Twin Big Boys.
With just under six minutes remaining and Alabama leading 21-15, LSU’s Patrick Peterson appeared to intercept a Greg McElroy pass on the sidelines. Instead, officials on the field ruled the pass incomplete, while the replay official upheld the ruling.
It appeared, however, that Peterson got not only one foot in bounds but possibly two, and looked to have (maybe?) maintained possession of the ball through his tiptoeing. If the ruling had gone in favor of the Bayou Bengals, they would’ve been 69 yards away from the go-ahead score with the point after.
Alas, they never got the chance as the SEC officials may -- or may not, depending on where your loyalties lie -- have blown yet another call. The person responsible for the non-interception interception seems to agree with that sentiment.
“I most definitely was in,” Peterson said. “After I caught the ball, I looked down and I saw both feet in. I don’t know what the ref was looking at, but I got them both in. And I caught the ball clean. I didn’t bobble it.”
Regardless of whether or not Peterson was in or out, it’s yet another black eye for the SEC and it’s beleaguered and embattled officiating crews. And it will do nothing to stop the conspiracy theorists from thinking that, right or wrong, the black helicopters hovering above their heads are charged with delivering undefeated Alabama and unbeaten Florida to the Georgia Dome for a December date by any means necessary.
