The Week 7 college football slate came with a side of officiating anger. LSU hosted Mississippi State in Baton Rouge, and Ohio State visited Indiana in Bloomington for a Big Ten game. In both places, fans pointed at the referees, and some voices with big platforms joined in.
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LSU fans focused on a third-down play involving edge rusher Jordan Ross. He beat Mississippi State’s left tackle, and the lineman appeared to have held Ross’s jersey and grabbed his facemask as Ross got to the quarterback and knocked the ball loose. No flag came, though, and so reactions followed.
LSU’s defense then forced a turnover on downs on the next play. The play didn’t hurt the Tigers, as they easily sailed past the No. 16 Bulldogs at Tiger Stadium, winning the game 31-0.
Ohio State fans had their own list in Bloomington. No. 4 Ohio State (5-1) faced No. 5 Indiana (6-0) in a rematch of the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game, which the Hoosiers won 13-10.
Fans pointed to a third-down carry by running back Bo Jackson, asking where the ball should have been spotted, and Ohio State stalled near the goal line before it needed fourth-and-goal from the 2 to score.
Buckeyes fans also complained about Indiana’s physical coverage on deep routes meant for receiver Jeremiah Smith, saying defenders grabbed jerseys and made contact before the ball arrived without drawing pass interference flags.
Some fans even claimed an uncalled holding penalty contributed to a sack of quarterback Julian Sayin.
LSU fans were the first to vent on X. “Refs have it against LSU, don’t they,” a fan wrote. “Have they been told to be ANTI LSU. That’s so blatant. Negative effects of the Lane drama,” another fan wrote.
Then the Ohio State offense took the heat. “Red zone offense suc-s I can’t,” a fan wrote.
Ohio State needed fourth-and-goal from the 2 to score before halftime, after Jackson was stopped for no gain on third down.
At one point in the second quarter, Sayin was 4-of-10 for 67 yards, and a deflected pass of his had been intercepted earlier. The pass interference complaints came next.
“Pass Interference all day …every day!! …but not against Jeremiah Smith… come on refs!,” a fan wrote in frustration.
Smith has been at the center of flag arguments before, including an offensive pass interference call against him in Ohio State’s 32-31 loss to Oregon in 2024.
“It’s called home field advantage!” a fan wrote sarcastically.
Indiana was playing at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, in front of its own crowd.
The loudest version of the LSU complaint came from journalist Lonn Phillips Sullivan, who posted a clip of the Ross play on X.
“Jordan Ross appears to force the fumble despite being held & face masked! These #SEC refs are unbelievable,” Sullivan wrote.
On the Ohio State side, an X account named Wok pointed to a Jackson third-down carry on X. “Bo Jackson on 3rd down. Where is it spotted?” it wrote.
Former Ohio State defensive end Matt Finkes took the pass interference argument further. “This is literally how PI has been called in CFB and NFL for the past 10 years. Now it’s not against 4, I guess,” Finkes wrote on X.
The call-by-call anger sat on top of a close, tense game in Bloomington. Ohio State scored first on a 26-yard field goal by Connor Hawkins, and Indiana struggled to move the ball early. Then Sayin was intercepted on a deflected pass, and Indiana turned the turnover into a seven-yard touchdown run by Turbo Richard for a 7-3 lead.
Ohio State answered late in the half with a 15-play, 80-yard drive. Sayin found receiver Chris Henry Jr. for a 21-yard sideline catch, and a roughing-the-passer penalty helped the Buckeyes reach the red zone. On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Sayin hit Jackson for the touchdown, and Ohio State led 10-7 at halftime.
The second half started with a bounce. Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover completed a 19-yard pass to Davion Chandler, who lost the ball, and Ohio State defensive back Earl Little Jr. recovered the fumble. The Buckeyes had the ball again, which gave their fans something to cheer about even as they kept pointing out the flags.
Ohio State’s offense also had its share of rough stretches. Sayin missed several throws in the first half, and the early holding call took away one of the Buckeyes’ best opening-quarter plays. For fans who were already convinced the officials were against them, that was enough proof.
The Buckeyes walked out of Bloomington with a 19-15 win after Indiana couldn’t score on its last drive of the game. Hoover also found Nick Marsh for a touchdown on a fourth-down play, but the wide receiver had stepped out of bounds before he caught the pass. Even during that drive, Ohio State was called for a roughing-the-passer penalty, which baffled the announcers.