The Fiesta Bowl between the TCU Horned Frogs and Michigan Wolverines was crazy throughout the second half. That craziness extended to the very end of the game, when TCU punched its ticket to the National Championship Game. But before that happened, the Horned Frogs had to wait out a lengthy review of college football’s most controversial rules — targeting.
Michigan’s last-ditch effort to win the same seemed to fall flat. On fourth-and-10, a bad snap led to a wild sequence that included balls being batted around. Eventually, the ball ended up in the hands of tight end Colston Loveland, who was quickly brought down. But the end of the sequence brought controversy.
As TCU safety Millard Bradford was bringing Loveland to the ground, Kee’yon Stewart came in and hit Bradford.
That hit triggered a long review for targeting, which replays seemed to indicate took place. But after a review, the officials determined that targeting had not happened. With that, TCU took one knee and ended the game.
After review, the officials rule that there was *not* targeting.
TCU hangs on to win 51-45 over Michigan in a WILD #CFP Semifinal. 🏈#FiestaBowl pic.twitter.com/3iHT04jTGS
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) January 1, 2023
That prompted a lot of discussion among football fans. Former NFL receiver Jeremy Maclin was among them, saying “TCU deserves to win this game. That being said they missed a targeting on that last play.”
TCU deserves to win this game. That being said they missed a targeting on that last play.
— Jeremy Maclin (@jmac___19) January 1, 2023
ESPN’s Mike Greenberg, Danny Kanell of CBS Sports as well as Scott Hanson of the Red Zone Network, all had similar feelings.
“A fitting end to a night where the officials didn’t have a clue. If that isn’t targeting, what is? #Michigan,” said Greenberg, who also weighed in on a controversial ruling earlier in the game.
“No one understands targeting. Not even the refs,” Kanell said.
A fitting end to a night where the officials didn’t have a clue. If that isn’t targeting, what is? #Michigan
— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) January 1, 2023
No one understands targeting. Not even the refs.
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) January 1, 2023
And that should be the end of the worst part of College Football.
They have no idea what is and isn’t targeting.
— Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson) January 1, 2023
Brett Kollman of YouTube’s The Film Room had a different take.
“LOL that’s an all-time ‘let’s just get out of here’ moment on the targeting review,” Kollman said.
LOL that’s an all-time “let’s just get out of here” moment on the targeting review.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 1, 2023
Local BIogger of SB Nation seemed to agree, saying “Yeah the refs were like ‘I gotta get home and hit this champagne, enough of this,'”
Yeah the refs were like "I gotta get home and hit this champagne, enough of this"
— local bIogger (@fergoe) January 1, 2023
[Photo Credit: ESPN]
