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Rules expert: Controversial targeting review in Georgia-Tennessee should have resulted in ejection

On3-Social-Profile_GRAYby:On3 Staff Report•11/05/22
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Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett IV celebrates with teammates after scoring on a touchdown run that triggered a controversial targeting review against Tennessee on Nov. 5, 2022. (Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)

A controversial targeting review of a Stetson Bennett IV touchdown run in the first quarter of the Georgia–Tennessee game on Saturday did not result in an ejection for Tennessee safety Jaylen McCollough. According to rules expect Terry McAulay, a former NFL referee who is now part of the Sunday Night Football team on NBC, officials should have ruled McCollough’s hit on Bennett near the pylon targeting.

Instead, Bennett’s touchdown stood and McCollough remained in the game.

McAulay tweeted his disagreement, adding McCollough’s hit on Bennett to a string of controversial targeting reviews this season that have been called improperly.

Importantly, that Twitter thread from McAulay, linked here, explains exactly how a minor rule change has impacted how targeting is being called around the country today.

In the context of the hit on Bennett, he argued that is the definition of a hit that should be flagged for targeting.

Controversial targeting review stemmed from impressive touchdown run

Tennessee brought the house on a blitz on third-and-10 from the 13-yard line.

Bennett managed to tiptoe away from a diving tackle attempt by Tennessee linebacker Juwan Mitchell in the backfield, then outran edge defender Tyler Baron to the corner. As he dove toward the end zone, safety Jaylen McCollough made contact up high, near the shoulders and head area. Bennett reached the football out to the pylon for the score.

The CBS broadcast crew confirmed that the play was looked at for targeting, but officials decided not to flag McCollough for targeting following the review.

CBS’ crew actually disagreed with McAulay’s assessment, interestingly enough.

“I don’t think he leads enough with the crown or contacts with the crown,” CBS rules expert Gene Steratore said on the TV broadcast. “There’s some there, but I think he’s leading with the shoulder. There is a piece of the crown there, though, on that. What they’ll look at now, and we’ll listen to what Jason Autrey has to say, is if he’s attacking with the crown of that helmet. I don’t think he is, personally.”