Sports

ACC Accused Of Rigging College Football Games For Miami After Controversial Targeting Call

by Last Updated
Miami Targeting Football
ESPN

College football fans are once again accusing the ACC of rigging its games in favor of undefeated Miami. A pair of tackles during the first half of Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech were not called for targeting.

Both hits involved helmet-to-helmet contact, which could absolutely warrant a flag.

The NCAA defines targeting as any hit that “goes beyond making a legal tackle or legal block or playing the ball.” Players cannot initiate forcible contact to the head or neck area against an opposing player.

Four key indicators of targeting are outlined by the NCAA:

  • Launch — a player leaving his feet to attack an opponent by an upward and forward thrust of the body to make forcible contact in the head or neck area.
  • A crouch followed by an upward and forward thrust to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area, even though one or both feet are still on the ground.
  • Leading with helmet, shoulder, forearm, fist, hand or elbow to attack with forcible contact at the head or neck area.
  • Lowering the head before attacking by initiating forcible contact with the crown of the helmet.

The “crown of the helmet” is defined as “the top segment of the helmet; namely, the circular area defined by a six-inch radius from the apex (top) of the helmet.”

Miami did not get called for targeting.

Hurricanes linebacker Wesley Bissainthe made direct contact with the crown of his helmet. He to the head of Yellow Jackets wide receiver Malik Rutherford.

Even though the hit appeared to be a textbook targeting call, ACC officials decided otherwise. They did not penalize Miami. They did not remove Bissainthe from the contest.

Officials determined the way in which Rutherford fell did not allow the defense to make a clean tackle. Most people — who are not rooting for the Hurricanes — would disagree. It sure looked like targeting.

If that was not bad enough, a very similar tackle underwent another review shortly thereafter. There was helmet-to-helmet contact. It also did not get ruled as targeting.

This is not the first time that a questionable call went in favor of Miami. The ACC bailed out its darling on a wild Hail Mary back in September, with two bad penalties against Cal, and a horrible missed call against Louisville.

Rigged? Some are saying…………………….