College football officiating woes continue in Penn State vs. Auburn

Saturday has been a tough day for college football officiating. Earlier in the day, an interception was somehow called a reception in Ohio State vs. Tulsa, making for potentially the worst overturn in college football review history.

And on Saturday night, the crew for Penn State vs. Auburn made a glaring mistake. The Nittany Lions had a first down in the second quarter when quarterback Sean Clifford was penalized for intentional grounding, resulting in a loss of down.

On the next play, Clifford hit his wide receiver Jahan Dotson for a five-yard gain. But the SEC crew then signaled for fourth down, when it was obviously third down.

The call caused an uproar and wasn’t reversed. ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe spoke with Penn State head coach James Franklin as his team went into the half. Asked “what explanation did the refs give about the missing down,” Franklin looked off the distance with a glare and did not answer, showing his frustration.

Hello pic.twitter.com/9JAwDCA89j

— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) September 19, 2021

And while the lost down did not seem to cause a problem for Penn State — the Nittany Lions held a 14-10 lead entering the half — it could come back to haunt them if things don’t go well in the second half.

As veteran NFL official Terry McAulay pointed out on Twitter, the decision was correctable by replay.

“This was correctable by replay,” he said. “Everyone, please listen: replay is not infallible. The more responsibility they have, the more that will become apparent.”

Penn State electrifying Whiteout entrance vs. Auburn

Penn State‘s annual Whiteout game has finally arrived. Typically reserved for when Michigan or Ohio State visits Happy Valley, with No. 22 Auburn making its first Big Ten road game since 1931, the Nittany Lions are pulling out all the stops. Big Ten and SEC teams meeting outside of neutral sites are not a common occurrence. 

This is how to make an entrance. pic.twitter.com/oHrbFL2DUS

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 18, 2021

One of the top traditions in college football, Beaver Stadium holds a capacity of 106,572. The Whiteout is in full force on Saturday night, and Penn State’s entrance is a must watch.

The game marks the first Whiteout game since 2019, when Penn State defeated Michigan. COVID-19 protocols last year meant close to no fans in the stands and no Whiteout. 

“You can’t watch the Whiteout on TV and say that you’ve seen the Whiteout,” Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford said.“You have to be here to experience it. It’s one of those experiences that is jaw-dropping, inspiring, just a sense of community that you really can’t feel anywhere else.”