Kirby Smart calls out 'precedent' set by SEC officials, Texas fans for 'endangering athletes'

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart carried over the theme from his on-field postgame interview and kept a full court press on the officials and the SEC for the controversial pass interference reversal in the third quarter of a win over Texas.

A Georgia interception had been returned inside the Bulldogs 10, setting up Texas in prime territory. But a defensive pass interference — albeit an apparently dubious call — wiped out the play.

Angry Texas fans hurled bottles, cans and other debris on the field and caused a delay, during which time the officials discussed the play and eventually announced there was no pass interference, and Texas would take over inside the Georgia 10 yard line.

The Longhorns quickly scored, and Smart was still agitated hours later and with a 30-15 win in his back pocket.

“Now you’ve set a precedent that if you throw a bunch of stuff on the field and endanger athletes, that you got a chance to get your call reversed. And that’s unfortunate, because to me, that’s dangerous,” Smart said.

Further, Smart offered some preliminary clarification as to what happened. Officials originally announced the penalty to the stadium as defensive pass interference. Smart said that head official Matt Loeffler explained that the penalty was miscalled or announced and was actually supposed to be offensive pass interference.

No pass interference was ultimately called on either team on the play.

“It took him a very long time to realize that,” Smart said of the official in the crew who realized they’d flagged the incorrect player.

With Georgia in possession late in the third quarter, Carson Beck targeted wideout Arian Smith down the left sideline. Smith had made contact and turned inside while defender Jahdae Barron held his ground. There was contact from both parties, and the bail sailed into Barron’s arms before he returned it inside the 10.

But a flag was down: Defensive pass interference on Barron.

Pass interference called on Texas pic.twitter.com/GFGeWZXeCq

— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) October 20, 2024

The call immediately drew the ire of Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and the approval of Bulldogs head coach Smart. Fans hurled debris on the field.

And for his part, Sarkisian said postgame that while he understands fans will be frustrated, it should never come to what happened. Sarkisian was seen during the fracas trying to stop the Texas fans from further delaying the game.

Sark out there telling fan to stop throwing crap on the field pic.twitter.com/57bGZKhAhE

— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) October 20, 2024

And while Georgia did win, Smart was evidently still hot about the penalty, bringing it up in his postgame on-field interview.

“You know, these players get the best out of me. And I’m so proud of these guys. Because nobody believed. Nobody gave us a chance. Your whole network doubted us. Nobody believed us. And then they try to rob us, with calls, in this place and these guys are so resilient,” Smart said.