If you look at the game in hindsight you might think one touchdown wouldn't change a thing about the beating that LSU took at the hands of Mississippi State this past Saturday night in Starkville. However, if you consider the context and timing of when the play happened it could very well have affected the outcome of the game.

The call in question is a 67-yard touchdown pass that Danny Etling, the Tigers QB, tossed in the first quarter of the game. The pass went to receiver D.J.Chark and it would have been the first score for LSU in the game. The play was nullified by an offensive pass interference call against another LSU player.

Many of the LSU faithful, players, and coaches were quite upset by the call. 

Stephen Sullivan of LSU was flagged for impeding the progress of the Mississippi State defender on the play. Although his actions took place well away from the actual play itself. Basically, Sullivan ran a pick play that allowed Chark to run free. Well, according to the rules, you cannot do that.

 We always look at it like the receiver knows where he is going. He knows his route. The defender doesn't know where he is going.

Typically, what our guys look at is if you see a receiver go directly at a defender and initiate or create contact with him, then technically that's what gets the alert of the official. Coaches have plays called rubs of whatever, how the player kind of

Coaches have plays called rubs of whatever, how the player kind of finesse that if they are initiating or seeking out the defender and creating contact. By rule, that's a foul.

Those are the words of Steve Shaw. He should know the rules. He is the head of officials for the Southeastern Conference. His comments were first reported by AL.com.

Would that touchdown have changed the outcome of the game? We will never know. What we do know is that the officials actually do a pretty good job of calling the game based on the rules. We might not like it all the time but they're usually correct in their calls.

Mississippi State defeated LSU in the game by a final score of 37-7.

 

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