Remember how SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey sounded all confident when he took to Elon Musk’s social media? Yes, that sounded too confident. But poor Sankey! He is now thrown under the bus. The college football analyst Josh Pate holds the SEC Commissioner along with a bunch of other college football officials accountable for how Kalen DeBoer’s army went through a disastrous loss against the Oklahoma Sooners. Looks like Sankey and others have taken things too easily, and now the matter has gone out of his hands as Bama fell prey to mishaps. 

What an ominous day for DeBoer’s tribe. The Sooners took on Alabama in front of a raucous crowd in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. 24-3!? Unbelievable. After all, that’s not how the senior night was supposed to end. However, more than DeBoer, Pate is now upset with the SEC commissioner as he stated, “You’re going to be held accountable for doing your job, and if you don’t do it good enough.” Now that the players are called out publicly in front of social media, it did not sit well with Pate, as he commented, “The only ones that don’t have to answer for themselves are the ones who were charged with enforcing the rules.” So what’s the hoopla all about? 

When DeBoer’s boys stepped into the field, they thought of making their way into the SEC Championship Game. Yes, definitely their QB Jalen Milroe faltered, but more than that, there remained another big issue. After all, no team has ever been screwed more by refs than Alabama. For instance, during the fourth quarter, when Milroe threw a touchdown pass to their WR Ryan Williams to bring their deficit to 24-10, the referee threw a penalty flag, wiping out the touchdown. That’s why Pate called out at the leaders. 

“It should be up to the people they answer to. It is Greg Sankey at the SEC League office. It’s Tony Petitti at the Big 10 League office who ought to have long ago looked at their product,” said Pate. Looks like the analyst is not directly charging them but comes up with a wake-up call for them now that so many things depend upon them. Like he said, “I don’t even put it on those guys they’re not the ones making the rules; they’re trying to enforce it as best…but I will tell you this—if you’re at the league office and the SEC or the Big 12 or the ACC or the Big 10 you’ve got some stuff happening in your games that is so egregious that when it happens how can you not help.” But the damage is already done for Bama. 

How a controversial call altered Kalen DeBoer and Co.’s fate

As we all know, Crimson Tide HC DeBoer is all cool. But even he lost his cool seeing the unjust decisions from the referee that his players fell prey to. Already they had taken a backseat against the Sooners, not getting able to score any touchdowns. However, Williams thought of gifting them one as he caught the 34-yard pass from Milroe in the end zone. But maybe there was some fault in their stars!

The touchdown was called back and the 17-year-old was flagged. The reason? Illegal touching, as according to referees another receiver, Caleb Odom, came in the way, covering him up on the line of scrimmage. And BOOM! In split seconds, DeBoer unleashed his fierce side as he was spotted yelling at the officials. 

The HC was frustrated not to receive a confirmation on the penalty call. “They said it was illegal touching, so someone had to have been covered up, (making him) ineligible.” So, folks, that’s how Alabama Crimson Tide had to pay the cost for the officials not making the right decision at the right moment.