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Tennessee did not play a good game of football this afternoon in Nashville, but they were still in position to potentially win it late. After jumping out to a 21-7 lead, the Volunteers lost all rhythm, allowing Purdue to storm back to take the halftime lead.
Both sides traded punches throughout the second half, ending up going to overtime at 45-45. On 4th and 2 and with a struggling defense, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel knew he had to go for it with Purdue waiting to get the ball.
The result? Jaylen Wright was stuffed, but kept churning to eventually find his way across the goalline. There was just one problem — the refs blew the play dead and ruled that Wright’s forward progress had been stopped.
Watch the play below.
Absolutely inexcusable. How do we not ever hold refs accountable for errors like this? These refs should be fired and no longer allowed to work. When you screw up this bad you don’t deserve employment as an official. pic.twitter.com/Ho7gGN6NR4
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 31, 2021
After review, the call was somehow confirmed, and nearly everyone that wasn’t a Purdue fan sounded off on the call.
I don’t know how some of these guys have these jobs.
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) December 31, 2021
I honest to God don’t understand it.
Forward progress is a judgment call, but on a game-deciding play at the goal line in overtime with a non-QB with the ball, it seems insane to not let it play out. Certainly at least a little longer than officials did.
— David Ubben (@davidubben) December 31, 2021
That one's going to smart for Tennessee. Really tough loss.
That is one of the worst calls I've seen in the history of college football.
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) December 31, 2021
Absolute garbage in the Music City Bowl.
Purdue team MVPs pic.twitter.com/Miw8QBYueL
— Barstool Sportsbook (@BSSportsbook) December 31, 2021
I’ve truly never seen anything like this.
— World Champion Big T (@ConnerHKnapp) December 31, 2021
People should go to jail. pic.twitter.com/zG9Mr0uFai
Not sure I’ve ever seen a more blatant fix in my life……
— Tommy G (@TommyGreturns) December 31, 2021
Robbery
— Rob Lewis (@Volquest_Rob) December 31, 2021
We get screwed over more than any program on the face of the earth
— Austin B (@Austin_Vols) December 31, 2021
Just when you think you’ve seen Tennessee lose in every way possible…
— RockyTopTalk (@RockyTopTalk) December 31, 2021
A new one gets invented
Purdue went on to kick a chip shot field goal to secure a 48-45 win.
It was yet another painful, brutal loss for this Tennessee fanbase that always seems to get screwed. It brought back memories of the 2010 Music City Bowl, and even the 2019 NCAA Tournament game against these same Boilermakers.
College football officiating has been atrocious all season long, and here’s your latest example. What an awful way to end such a fun season.