The Southeastern Conference said Monday that Tennessee’s onside kick in the final two minutes against Texas was officiated incorrectly.
No. 1 Texas led No. 14 Tennessee 20-17 with 1:22 left Saturday at Neyland Stadium. The Volunteers were out of timeouts. Punter Jackson Ross drop-kicked the onside attempt, the ball came off Texas receiver Ryan Wingo, and linebacker Arion Carter recovered it. One official threw a flag. The crew picked it up, and Tennessee kept the ball.
In a statement released Monday, the SEC said the play “was incorrectly officiated and should have resulted in a five-yard penalty on Tennessee and a replay of the down.”
The league said a drop kick is legal on a free kick. The kick still has to come from the kicking team’s restraining line, which on a kickoff is the 35-yard line unless a penalty has moved it. The SEC said the ball was at least one yard behind the 35 when Ross kicked it.
The statement also said that after the ball is ready for play, the kicker may not change his lateral position between the hash marks. That spot can change only after a charged timeout or on a later kick. The SEC said Ross moved after the ready signal, and that movement violated the rule.
“The correct enforcement is a five yard penalty and a replay of the down,” the conference said. “The Southeastern Conference regrets the error and will continue working with the Secretary/Editor for NCAA Football Rules and officials to ensure consistent application of free-kick rules.”
Tennessee had already tried the kick once. On that attempt, Ross kicked the ball out of bounds to his left, and an official threw a flag. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian had called timeout just before the kick, the flag was picked up, and the down was replayed. The second kick was the one Tennessee recovered.
After the recovery, quarterback Faizon Brandon’s final throw, intended for Travis Smith Jr., was broken up in the end zone by Texas safety Jelani McDonald as time expired. Texas won 20-17.
A five-yard penalty would have backed Tennessee up and required another onside kick. It would not have given the ball to Texas. The SEC did not say the call changed the result.
Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) hosts Auburn at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN.