Newsstand: Joel Klatt rips officiating in U-M vs. TCU
Michigan football had plenty of its own reasons for losing 51-45 to TCU with a trip to the national championship game on the line. The offense shot itself in the foot, the defense had issues getting off the field in key moments and the coaching staff did not always put the Wolverines in positions to succeed.
Junior wide receiver Roman Wilson had a clear touchdown wiped off the board in the first half, which came after the officials spotted a Rod Moore interception 2 yard short of where it was supposed to be. Then late in the game, they missed what appeared to be a textbook targeting call on freshman tight end Colston Loveland.
This drew the ire of Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt.
“Replay in CFB is broken & Targeting foul is equally broken!” Klatt tweeted after the game. “Clearly a TD in first half. 100% targeting (and I hate targeting) at end. Officiating in CFB needs an overhaul…No reason for every conference to have their own officials…Should have a national officiating base.”
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked to address it after the game and mostly refrained comment.
“I mean, I’ll take a closer look at it,” Harbaugh said. “Last play, they were looking at targeting and they ruled that it wasn’t targeting. The touchdown, Roman [Wilson’s], that they ruled it didn’t get in the end zone.”
But now, Michigan’s season ends, while TCU advances. The Horned Frogs will have a date with the Georgia Bulldogs on Jan. 9 from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Georgia beat Ohio State 42-41 in the Peach Bowl in the nightcap of the CFP slate.
Tweet of the day
Michigan quote of the day
“I’m really proud of our guys. I was talking to our guys about, you don’t quit, you don’t give up, you never let up, you never give in. You just keep playing one play at a time. And, I thought that was — I could have been easily standing in our locker room at the end of our ballgame and congratulating a whole locker room of heroes. Because that’s what they are. And that’s what they have been this entire season, including this game.”
– Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh on team’s effort vs. TCU
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