SEC Explains Controversial Calls in Tennessee–Ole Miss Thriller That Led to Trash Incident

As the SEC continues to clean up the mess from the aftermath of a controversial Tennessee–Ole Miss game, the conference doubled down on its referees' decision-making on two key plays.

Tennessee fans were not too thrilled at the end of Saturday's 31–26 loss to then No. 14 Ole Miss. At the conclusion of the game, fans threw trash on the field at Neyland Stadium in the final minute of the game. 

The crowd's unrest appeared to stem partly from two plays where the officials were forced to deliberate before making calls in favor of Ole Miss.

The biggest incident came in the first quarter when an Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral fumble was returned 42 yards for an apparent touchdown by Vols edge rusher Tyler Baron. But the officials gathered and overruled the touchdown, saying that Corral's forward progress was stopped before the fumble.

"The officials huddled after the play and determined that forward progress had been stopped," the SEC told the Knoxville News Sentinel in a statement. "Therefore, there was no fumble on the play. It is not uncommon for officials that are not certain in real time of the status of a loose ball to let a play finish before gathering together to compare notes to correctly officiate the play."

The play that resulted in fans' throwing debris on the field came with just under a minute left in the fourth quarter when Tennessee tight end Jacob Warren was ruled down inches shy of the first down. The call was later upheld by video review, which the SEC determined to be the right call.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has continued to taunt Tennessee fans on social media after video showed Kiffin trying to catch a water bottle thrown at him from the crowd.