The free touchdown didn't help

Mark Stoops said it best: Mississippi State kicked Kentucky’s butts Saturday night in Starkville. Kentucky got smacked in the mouth and didn’t smack back. The coaches got out-coached by Almond Joy-eating Mike Leach and his staff. The turnovers. So many turnovers. Four of them on only nine total possessions.

Take all of that into consideration, plus Will Rodgers completing all but three of his throws, and it’s easy to see how Mississippi State won by double-digits. Making it even easier for the Bulldogs, the officiating crew gifted them a free touchdown on an incomplete pass on third down.

In no way did the free score cost Kentucky the game because Kentucky beat Kentucky without the help of this one play. This is not an excuse for the dud of a performance. But it’s worth noting Mark Stoops has yet another reason to call up the league office to demand an explanation for his team being on the wrong end of a bad call. It seems to happen more than it should when points are at stake, going back to Chris Rodriguez’s goalline run at Auburn last season or Izayah Cummings’ clear score against LSU, both taken away.

Add Will Rodgers’ third-down incompletion to Rara Thomas (and Quandre Mosley’s good defense to break it up) to the list.

Coming out of the commercial break, ESPN play-by-play man Tom Hart told viewers, “After further investigation, we understand why Mark Stoops was so upset. The catch was ruled a touchdown and they did not stop play to review it. It doesn’t mean they didn’t review it, but we took a second look and the ball is on the ground, no catch.”

Jordan Rodgers added, “It really wasn’t. In every look, you pretty much have a clear view of this ball moving. Quandre Mosley does a good job getting his hands in… that should’ve been reviewed, should’ve been an incompletion.”

I just worry about Stoops’ blood pressure in these situations. That’s all.