Kirby Smart Explains Timeout Controversy Following Win Over the Auburn Tigers

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart explains the timeout controversy from Georgia's win over the Auburn Tigers.

The Georgia Bulldogs were pushed to the limit this Saturday against the Auburn Tigers as the Dawgs overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half to come away with a 20-10 victory on the road. The win was Georgia's ninth consecutive victory over Auburn.

The Dawgs' win over the Tigers came with a handful of controversial moments, including a goal-line fumble in the closing moments of the first half. Auburn's offense was stifled for the remainder of the game and held to zero points.

Another controversial moment in the game came in the second half when play was stopped for an alleged timeout by Georgia. The controversy came when Kirby Smart then argued wth the refs that he was not calling a timeout.

Fans on social media reacted to the unique moment by labeling Kirby Smart as a cheater and that he lied to the referees to avoid a timeout call and provide an unfair advantage to his team.

Following the victory, Smart was asked to share his explanation as to what took place during the controversial moment in the game. The Bulldogs' head coach explained that he was not signaling for a timeout, but was pointing to the refs that players on the Auburn defense were clapping, which is a penalty against the defense.

"Yeah, they [Auburn's defense] were clapping. That's why I told him [the head referee before the game," said Smart. "I said, 'If these guys clap, that's a penalty.' They can't clap because we will false snap, and that's a penalty. I've lost games on that before in this stadium... So I ran over to him and said 'They're clapping,' and he thought I called a timeout."

While the degree to which the "timeout" affected the game is not measurable, opposing fans will certainly use it as a point of criticism for Smart (and officiating within the SEC moving forward).

As the Bulldogs prepare for their next matchup, the team will look to have a much cleaner operation and avoid relying on controversial calls. The Dawgs will be back in action on Saturday, October 18th, when they face the Ole Miss Rebels in Athens.