Alabama’s first loss (17-20) of the season to Georgia has left plenty to unpack, but one moment is drawing particular scrutiny. With the Crimson Tide looking to tie the game, Georgia defensive back KJ Bolden made contact with Rico Scott before the deep pass arrived, yet no flag followed. Now, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit wants answers about a no-call that could have changed Alabama’s chances to salvage the game.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
On Nonstop with Kirk and Joey, Herbstreit acknowledged that the Bulldogs did everything they could to secure the victory. However, he made it clear that one thing was simply inexcusable: the officials’ failure to throw a pass interference flag on a crucial play.
“I usually give the officials, because I’m with you, what they do and the speed of the game making these calls, I get it. But in this particular case, I just don’t know how, for Bolden coming over there. I just don’t know how. You can’t say it’s uncatchable,” said Herbstreit.
“The kid’s working back to the football. And again, I’m not for Georgia, I’m not for Alabama. I’m just watching the play and I just was shocked we didn’t see a flag,” Herbstreit added.
With the Crimson Tide trailing by three and 3:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, quarterback Keelon Russell targeted Rico Scott on second-and-10 from Georgia’s 34-yard line. Defensive back KJ Bolden made contact with Scott, but officials didn’t throw a flag on what looked like a clear pass interference.
Alabama’s hopes of a late comeback quickly faded as Russell was sacked for a nine-yard loss on the next play, setting up a daunting fourth-and-19. The Crimson Tide were forced to punt, wasting a crucial chance to answer Georgia’s late field goal. After the game, Kalen DeBoer revealed that the officials did not explain the call.
“I mean, we can’t put the game in that situation where the officials, you know, come into play,” DeBoer said in a postgame news conference. “And so, we just got to control the thing we can control.”
DeBoer was clearly furious over the no-call, and understandably so. Alabama could have had a chance to snatch the win had the officials thrown a flag, but that never happened.
ESPN rules analyst Matt Austin disagreed with the officials during the broadcast. “4 is not playing the ball,” Austin said. “He gets there early. The ball hits him in the back. It should have been a pass interference.”
The fact that Bolden and defensive lineman Valdin Sone combined for a nine-yard sack on the very next snap, pushing the Crimson Tide out of field-goal range, only fuelled the controversy. CFB veteran Paul Finebaum also called out the officiating, arguing that the missed call played a decisive role in Alabama’s defeat.
“Would it have changed the outcome of the game? Well, yeah. I don’t think there’s any question it would have,” Finebaum made his case on The Matt Barrie Show.
“When you’re the best conference in college football and you say you’re the best conference, don’t scr-w around with one of the biggest plays in the biggest game of the year. That’s supposed to be an A crew. Act like an A crew, and don’t blow calls that very well could determine the outcome of the game.”