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The Texas Longhorns won the most exciting game of this College Football Playoff season against fourth-seeded Arizona State on New Year’s Day. One no call from that thrilling overtime matchup has drawn criticism.
On the Sun Devils’ final offensive drive of regulation, wideout Melquan Stovall was leveled by a Texas defender. There appeared to be forcible helmet to helmet contact. No flag was thrown.
I’m serious. Refs need to be investigated.
ASU should have the ball. If you have a targeting rule, it should be called in that moment.
Awful. pic.twitter.com/rv5KPqAeKE
— Sami ON Tap (@SamiOnTap) January 1, 2025
Cries for a targeting penalty were heard from the Arizona State sideline. An ensuing review was held in attempts to get the call right. Officials decided to keep their flags in their pockets and play continued.
The game was tied 24-24 with just over a minute left in regulation at the time. A penalty would’ve given the Sun Devils a fresh set of downs. Instead, they were forced to punt.
Texas later missed a game-winning field goal as time expired, sending the contest into overtime. Had the flag been thrown, Arizona State might’ve been the team lining up for that go-ahead attempt.
Initially, ESPN rules expert Matt Austin evaluated the play from the booth. He insisted that targeting should’ve been called.
“We definitely have a defenseless receiver and just as he’s turning after catching the ball, he gets hit in the head by the defender. I would not be surprised if this is called targeting from the booth.”
-Matt Austin
ABC rules expert Bill Lemonnier agreed, according to Dusty Dvoracek.
Scott Van Pelt: “I don’t care who it is. That’s targeting 100 times out of 100. It wasn’t [called] in this case.”
Dusty Dvoracek: “I thought it was targeting in the moment. I picked up the phone, made a few phone calls. I talked to Bill Lemonnier, who I think is one of the… pic.twitter.com/Ug0CqFWljR
— CFB Kings (@CFBKings) January 2, 2025
Gene Steratore the latest rules expert to confirm Arizona State got hosed against Texas.
After seeing the play continue to pick up attention, the CBS rules expert and former NFL referee posted his reaction to X.
My phone has been burning up all morning. Yes, this should have been a flag for targeting in #TEXvsASU. It meets all of the criteria of targeting (Rule 9-1-4).
-Gene Steratore / X: @GeneSteratore
Texas fans defended the hit, saying that the crown of the helmet was not used. They also argue that the player didn’t launch himself into the pass catcher. Rules experts clearly disagree.
After the game, ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham was asked about the play. He referenced his team being called for a targeting foul earlier in the matchup.
“In terms of targeting, I’m going to be honest, I don’t know what targeting is. We lost one of our best players in the first half for targeting. I just don’t know what it is. I don’t want to comment on something that I have to get a better grasp of. I just don’t quite understand it.”
-Kenny Dillingham
In the end, the play may or may not have impacted the final outcome. There’s no way of knowing definitively. With that being said, the Sun Devils had their chance to win in overtime before allowing a game-tying touchdown pass on a 4th-and-13 play.
The Longhorns survived the scare with a quick score in the second overtime session. Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt was picked off on the next drive. Texas will now face Ohio State with a chance to book its ticket to the national championship.