College Football Fans Are Split on the Controversial Stetson Bennett Fumble

Two big calls went Alabama's way on the same play, leading to serious debate online.

Earlier in Monday's national championship between Alabama and Georgia, a potential scoop and score for the Bulldogs was reversed and deemed an incomplete pass by Bryce Young. Fast forward to the fourth quarter, and the Crimson Tide benefited from a similar play, this time off the hand of Stetson Bennett IV.

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Facing pressure from the Alabama defense, Bennett tried to throw the ball away. Instead, the ball began to roll before his forward passing motion. It just about reached the sideline, but Crimson Tide defender Brian Branch casually snagged it, as his toe was either right on or just shy of the line. The play wound up having two huge judgment calls: did Bennett throw or fumble the ball, and did Branch stay in-bounds? Ultimately the ACC referee crew made both calls in favor of the Crimson Tide.

Here’s the play - called a fumble. pic.twitter.com/craO3HhhLc

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 11, 2022

Five plays later, Young found Cameron Latu for a go-ahead touchdown, pushing Alabama's lead to 18–13.

Both parts of the call were about as close as it gets, so naturally Twitter is exploding in disagreement.

This is not control pic.twitter.com/z4mm9XaW5b

— zachary (@zackattack1670) January 11, 2022

I'm not a fan of either team so I have no bias. To me that was an incomplete pass and even if they called it a fumble the Bama player was out of bounds when he recovered it. Not sure how Alabama got the ball there.

— James Dark (@jamesdark44) January 11, 2022

Bennett had control of the ball as he started to throw. The pass came out sideways because he was being yanked down. This was not an "empty hand" fumble.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 11, 2022

ACC refs, Young’s fumble was a pass. Bennett’s pass attempt is a fumble?

— MikeBell929 (@MikeBellATL) January 11, 2022

LITERALLY BRYCE YOUNG’S ARM GETS KNOCKED DOWNWARD, THEY RULE IT AN INCOMPLETE PASS AND STETSON BENNETT ACTUALLY THROWS THE BALL AND YOU CALL IT A FUMBLE?!

— Leah Vann (@LVann_Sports) January 11, 2022

Thanks to Bennett's fourth quarter heroics, the controversial play did not ultimately decide the game.