Former NFL Ref Blasts SEC Officials After Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Finish

Terry McAulay had plenty of thoughts on officiating following Texas A&M's comeback win over Notre Dame

Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher, left, catches a pass in the end zone to tie the game with Notre Dame linebacker Drayk Bowen, right, defending in the second half of a NCAA football game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in South Bend. The extra point scored after this touchdown put Texas A&M ahead 41-40 to win the game. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame starts its Sunday sitting at 0-2 and with a world full of questions following Saturday night's 41-40 defeat at the hands of Texas A&M. The Irish thought 2025 could be the year to end the 37 year national championship drought, but just two games in, they're instead picking up a significant amount of pieces.

A disclaimer of sorts before you go on with this piece: Notre Dame's defense didn't play well enough to win Saturday night. It allowed over 21 yards per Texas A&M completion as it struggled to cover and struggled to tackle yet again.

However, that was a clearly blown call at the end of the game that didn't do Notre Dame any favors, either. Well acknowledge that in the following while knowing that even if the penalty had been called, Notre Dame would still have loads to fix itself as it gets ready for it's third game of the season.

Former NFL Official Terry McAulay Calls Out SEC Officials

Texas A&M scored the game-tying touchdown Saturday night on a pass that tight end Nate Boerkircher hauled in with just 13 seconds to play. The extra point gave Texas A&M the 41-40 lead that it held on to win with shortly after.

Before that fourth down pass was thrown Boerkircher's way though, an obvious holding call was missed by the SEC officials.

Terry McAulay spent nearly two decades as an NFL official while working his way up in the college ranks before that. McAulay has worked as the NFL rules analyst for NBC since his retirement from officiating and on Saturday night, didn't think much of how the final sequence went down.

This was just a patently egregious missed offensive holding foul.

Game, time, score are all irrelevant. It should be called anytime and every time it occurs. https://t.co/jWxoyh2fQ0

— Terry McAulay (@tjmcaulay) September 14, 2025

McAulay then followed up by breaking down the film of the officials and figured out how the blatant hold was missed.

Many are asking how this was missed.

Here’s why (and it’s not because of any grand conspiracy):

The still photo below shows the Umpire in the middle, who is the primary official, looking to his left. I can’t say why, but there is no reason for him to look that way.

It also… https://t.co/CbpJPjkOj9 pic.twitter.com/emrGrsYDnY

— Terry McAulay (@tjmcaulay) September 14, 2025

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Take:

I don't look at it as the SEC officials trying to have it out for Notre Dame, and helping the SEC team win. I see it more as them simply being ill-trained at their jobs to not even be looking in the area for a potential hold with the game on the line - just like McAulay stated.

I could sit and get upset about the officiating but more important than that, Notre Dame didn't play well enough to win. It allowed over 21 yards per completed pass by Texas A&M, and struggled in coverage and then to even make tackles.

To date, it's the kind of defense that makes you fear potential hiccups against what should be a favorable schedule the rest of the way.

Then you add on officials entirely missing a couple calls that went against it (targeting and fourth and goal at end) and its a recipie for disaster.