Saturday’s game between Oregon and Ohio State got quite tense late, in part because of a controversial non-call late in the fourth quarter.
The Ducks held a 35-28 lead over the Buckeyes, with Ohio State facing a 3rd-and-20 with just over six minutes left. Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave made the catch just past the line of scrimmage, but he was quickly brought down by Ducks linebacker Noah Sewell.
The tackle came under extensive scrutiny, with many questioning whether the hit deserved a targeting call. Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira felt that targeting should have been called due to the fact that Sewell led with the crown of his helmet, even though Olave was already falling down and there was no helmet-to-helmet contact.
In the end, the replay booth looked at the play and decided there was no targeting. The Buckeyes were forced to punt. Had targeting been called, Sewell would have been ejected, and the Buckeyes would have been the beneficiaries of a 15-yard penalty.
On one hand, Sewell’s tackle is the kind of play that the sport wants to eliminate, and the use of the crown of the helmet is all that matters in terms of the rule. On the other hand, it’s not clear what Sewell is supposed to do with Olave in that position.
One thing is for sure — there won’t be much sympathy for the Buckeyes considering they got away with what looked like an even more blatant instance of targeting in their season opener.
Oregon would go on to win the game, 35-28, and this play might get scrutinized even more by Ohio State faithful.
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