Miss State cheated by refs on Memphis punt return for TD

Calvin Austin III pulled a sneaky move and scored a TD. Joe Rondone/The Commercial Appeal via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Mississippi State cheated by refs on Memphis punt return for touchdown

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 9/18/21

Look hard, because you won’t find a team that got hurt by the officials' error more than Mississippi State was on Saturday.

The Bulldogs were trailing Memphis 21-17 with just under six minutes remaining in their game. Mississippi State lined up to punt and boomed one over the Tigers punt returner’s head. Mississippi State saved the ball from going into the end zone and downed the punt inside the eight.

The referee even threw his beanbag to mark the spot of the ball and was waving his hands. But Memphis’ Calvin Austin III pulled a sneaky move. He grabbed the ball and returned it 94 yards for a touchdown.

WHAT CAN'T @CalvinAustinIII DO?!?
(that's rhetorical because there's nothing he can't do"#AmericanPow6r pic.twitter.com/NNstgGaKWK

— American Football (@American_FB) September 18, 2021

Somehow the referee who was stopping the play didn’t step in and intervene. The play was over. Mississippi State got cheated so badly.

That play was huge because it made it a two-score game and put Memphis up 28-17.

ESPN’s announcers Beth Mowins and Kirk Morrison thought the refs messed up.

ESPN commentators rip refs in Memphis-Miss St game over bizarre punt return football TD pic.twitter.com/omphpkJtSK

— gifdsports (@gifdsports) September 18, 2021

The rules state that a ball is dead when an official sounds their whistle or otherwise signals the ball dead. The official threw the beanbag and had his hands up. That’s signaling the ball dead and the play over.

The Bulldogs ended up scoring two more touchdowns but missed both of their two-point conversion attempts and lost 31-29. They should have never been put in that position if not for some horrendous officiating.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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