Tim Tebow believes controversial pass interference on Notre Dame should not have been called

Tim Tebow delivered some hot takes regarding Thursday’s College Football Playoff Semifinals showdown at the Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State via Friday’s edition of The Paul Finebaum Show.

Specifically, Tebow focused on the pass interference call that went against the Fighting Irish with 8:42 left in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame defender Jack Kiser intercepted Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar, who lobbed up a fade route to Tyler Warren toward the left side of the end zone. Unfortunately for the Golden Domers, its glorious moment was short-lived.

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The officials called the aforementioned DPI on the play, erasing the interception and moving Penn State up to Notre Dame’s 9-yard line. Only two plays later, the Nittany Lions punched in a touchdown to secure a 24-17 lead.

After Penn State kicked in its extra point, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman had a heated exchange with three officials on the sideline. Nonetheless, the call couldn’t be reversed, and Tebow believes the referees got the decision wrong.

“I think the first one was a good call. I think that was holding off of the line of scrimmage. I think the second one — it could be called, but you have to look at the style in which the game is being played and being called. And I believe that it was a very physical matchup,” Tebow stated. “Both teams were putting their hands on the tight ends and on the receivers, and it was a very physical game.

“When Tyler Warren jumps back into the DB, you could call it in a lot of games. Do I think in that game it should have been called? No, I really don’t.”

In the end, the call ended up being a moot point, as the Fighting Irish came back and won the game, but it could’ve created a seismic shift in the college football world if they hadn’t. That’s what really grinds Tebow’s gears, although he believes the throw might’ve had an effect on the way Allar played the rest of the game.

“Even something that gets called back, it can (make you feel gun shy). Sometimes you (are) feeling like, ‘Oh my gosh, I got away with one. Thank you.’ But sometimes you could think, ‘Man, I’m fortunate to get away. I can’t do it again.’ I actually don’t think it was the worst read of all time,” Tebow added. “I do think he could have gone somewhere else, but if he puts that to the back corner, and it’s where Tyler, or nobody could go up for it, then I think he would be fine with it.

“I think he just under-threw it, kind of being a little bit more careful, rather than letting it rip like he did against Boise.”

Notre Dame got their interception back on Penn State’s drive with the game tied at 24, and they capped their comeback with a Mitch Jeter go-ahead field goal with seven seconds left. Looking ahead, Notre Dame’s national championship appearance is the program’s first since 2013.

It continues a late-season surge in Marcus Freeman’s third season at the helm, getting Notre Dame in striking distance of its 12th national championship. They’ve earned the respect of Tim Tebow, and he’ll be watching closely to see if they can finish the job is a little over a week and change.

On3’s Nick Schultz and Riley Gates contributed to this article.