College Football HQ

Both Georgia and Auburn scored a touchdown on the same play-- and neither one counted

Joe Cox|
Auburn was ruled to not score a touchdown on a goal-line play... but so was Georgia on the ensuing return of a fumble, which was ruled to have happened.
Auburn was ruled to not score a touchdown on a goal-line play... but so was Georgia on the ensuing return of a fumble, which was ruled to have happened. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Georgia BulldogsAuburn Tigers

It takes a rare moment of officiating to literally anger everyone, but the SEC crew working the Auburn/Georgia game managed to do just that with a controversial late first half call. First Auburn apparently scored a touchdown-- but didn't. Then Georgia grabbed the ball and scored a touchdown -- but also didn't. In the end, nobody was happy, and plenty of fans were shocked by a bizarre moment.

The play

Auburn led 10-0 late in the second quarter and on a third and goal from the Georgia 1-yard line was trying to shove the ball into the end zone. Replays seemed to subsequently confirm that QB Jackson Arnold likely did cross the goal line for a touchdown. Instead, Arnold was ruled to have fumbled shy of the goal line. But Georgi'a Kyron Jones then grabbed the ball and rumbled 99 yard for a touchdown. The officials ruled him down on the play at the 1 yard line instead.

Many fans noted that logically, the play either had been an Auburn touchdown or became a Georgia touchdown. Somehow, the SEC devised a third outcome that found everyone shaking their collective heads.

Fan reaction

If there is one truly universal sentiment from the bizarre moment, it's that SEC officials could ruin literally anything-- and probably would.

Published
Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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