Worst official's call in Alabama history (or at least as far back as you remember) ?

[78Alum]

Worst call IMO was 1983 Alabama @ Penn State where Preston Gothard made the potential game winning TD catch but was called out of bounds.

This is mine as well. Walter Lewis led the probably greatest comeback in our history and it was taken away from us by a terrible terrible call. If you don't remember back that far, see and read about it in the link below. We were down 34-7 going into the 4th quarter after an awful 1st half by Lewis and came all the way back, but for that unbelievably awful call. He wasn't even close to being out of bounds.

1983 Alabama vs Penn State “The Catch That Didn’t Count”

Keith Dunnavant tells the story of the 1983 Alabama vs Penn State game that went down in history as one of the most controversial plays of all-time. The pass to Preston Gothard with under 8 seconds remaining in the game was ruled ineligible. Read the story:

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

 

[cuda.1973]

Worked with a PSU grad, who was in another department. First time he saw me (which was a few weeks away), the first thing he said was "You guys won that game."

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

95 Iron Bowl was criminal

 

[AUDub]

Presented for discussion, this gem.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Presented for discussion, this gem.

I see nothing wrong with that at all.

 

[Tide-one-on]

The Gothard catch killed me. After being down so far and then rolling. Still had a chance on the next play but ran a sweep to the short side that was stuffed...took a while to get over that...wait ...I never did!

 

[CoachJeff]

This missed PI at the beginning of the clip:

 

[dirtroadlizard]

I still say Joe Namath scored against Texas !

 

[Tidewater]

Presented for discussion, this gem.

That's pretty bad.
One would think the ref would ask, "Why did the receiver not jump up and hold the ball up?" That's right, because he did not catch the ball.

 

[Tidewater]

This missed PI at the beginning of the clip:

That is one of those times when, later, over an adult beverage, I would like to ask the ref, what was going through your mind on that play? How on earth can you not throw the flag on that? Maybe because the LSU DB did not actually punch the receiver and steal his wallet?

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Presented for discussion, this gem.

That's awful man. I have no doubt that would be more famous if Vandy had won the game on that play.

Here's one that makes that one look like a good call

 

[selmaborntidefan]

That's awful man. I have no doubt that would be more famous if Vandy had won the game on that play.

Here's one that makes that one look like a good call

The delusional Nebraska fan base will 100% insist it was the right call.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

That’s right. If I remember correctly there was a close ending in the 97 game too. I was at the game with my dad who had gotten us good seats from a salesman. He was a purchasing agent and took the occasional “benefit.” We beat them in 99 in BDS with something like 6 turnovers with 5 being fumbles in the “revenge” game.

Yes, the 1997 game, Arky scored with 1:45 remaining.

We had six TOs in the 99 game - and it came down to Stoerner trying a Hail Mary for the tie/win at the end.

That season is why Mike Dubious was basically the Second Coming of Bill Curry save for the marital indiscretions. Go back and closely evaluate Mike's career. He was 24-23 with an SEC title (btw - the Arky loss in 97 was his first as head coach), but he was 0-4 in one score games in 97, 4-1 in 98, 4-2 in 99, and 0-4 in 2000.

And keep in mind that the 99 MSU game may have been a 13-point deficit at the end, but the game was much closer than that score indicates. We scored the game-winner on a bomb to Shamari Buchanon when Joe Lee Dunce sent the house (like he ever did anything else) and the oldest Tide Fans poster here could have caught the ball wide open as Shamari was.

What I'm saying is that Dubious basically benefited because in one year everything came together enough that he skated by. He was 8-11 in one score games, slightly below what average would be - and you should expect better than average at a school like UA. Curry was 8-5 in one-score games, but we'd have to microanalyze both coaches to get a fairer assessment. For example, although the 88 Ole Miss (Brick) game was a final score of ten points, the Rebels scored 15 points in the final 2:07 in a game we led at one point, 12-0. We blew a 15-3 first half lead to lose to LSU in 88, and does anyone really think that beating SW La by the score of 17-0 indicates a GOOD team? Plus, the 88 IB is artificially close - we trailed all day and made it look close at the end.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Best worst call - 2002 BCSCG. The last play was magical.

Please expand on this one...

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Bama game? 1995 Iron Bowl Curtis Brown's game-winning TD being ruled out of bounds. Replay would have reversed the call imo. For once in his career, Freddie Kitchens dropped a dime instead of shooting a cannon.

View attachment 6789

Obviously at awbern... where officiating is always fixed.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

As an FYI, Saban (at UA) is 21-16 in one-score games, and that includes a 3-6 mark in 2007.

Since 2008, he's 18-10 in one-score games. Again - some of these can be deceptive.

The final score of the 2015 Clemson title game was five points, but after Drake's TD, Clemson was never really much of a threat to actually win the game. The 2017 ATM game was eight points, but it never felt like the Aggies were a threat to win that one, either. After blowing the lead, we weren't "much" of a threat to beat Ohio State in 2014, either, but the final count was 7 points.

In general, though, it's a good guide. The difference between GREAT (Saban) and MEDIOCRE/AVERAGE (Dubious/Curry) is actually only the result of a few one-score games going the other way.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Please expand on this one...

I think he's referring to the Pass Interference.

To be clear, though, Ohio St won (and should have won) the game. People focusing too much on that controversial call ignore the rest of the game.

 

[CrimsonPaul]

This missed PI at the beginning of the clip:

When I saw the topic this was the first play I thought of. I could NOT believe it with the ref 5 feet away and looking straight at the push and made no call.

 

[TitleWave]

I still say Joe Namath scored against Texas !

Overshadowed only in officiating infamy by the very next game 'Bama played, 1965 opener vs. UGa, and the cold, cheatin' hearts of SEC officials even then (as remarked on even by Dawgies down the years.)

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Presented for discussion, this gem.

If it had been awbern ball and played at jerdin-hare-dye...it would have had the same call (even after video review).