Cam Newton puts controversial SEC officials from Auburn vs. Georgia on blast: 'I'm still looking for you'

Cam Newton returned to his old stomping grounds inside Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday as Auburn formally retired his No. 2 in a halftime ceremony during No. 10 Georgia‘s 20-10 road win. Suffice it to say, it was a disappointing homecoming for the Tigers’ most-recent Heisman Trophy winner.

Of course, Newton’s frustrations weren’t just about the loss, Auburn’s ninth straight in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry series that matched the rivalry’s all-time consecutive win record established by Georgia between 1923-31. Newton’s real issue was with the SEC referees assigned to the game after a litany of head-scratching calls once again seemed to go against the Tigers and in favor of the opposition.

That includes Georgia head coach Kirby Smart seemingly being gifted a free timeout early in the fourth quarter. ABC cameras caught Smart sprinting down the visiting sideline as his hands rapidly made a T-formation — the universal sign for a timeout. But after a sideline official blew his whistle and granted a timeout, Smart successfully argued he was actually clapping his hands while trying to point out Auburn safety AnQuon Fegans was illegally trying to simulate the offensive snap, which is a 5-yard penalty.

Of course, there were several other questionable calls that seemed to go against Auburn, continuing a trend that has even forced the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey to publicly apologize after Oklahoma utilized “unfair tactics” to score a trick play touchdown in last months’ 24-17 win over the Tigers.

“What happened last week was a travesty and a mockery, and I’m still looking for them referees in Auburn,” Newton said on Friday’s First Take on ESPN. “Because I don’t think that Georgia is the team that we always knew Georgia to be. Kirby Smart running down the sideline obviously saying timeout but they didn’t give him a timeout, and I’m over here frustrated (because) that was supposed to be my night and they blew it.

“Not doggone Kirby Smart, it’s the referees that blew it. And I’m still looking for you. And when I tell you, I’m going to find you and I’m going to tell you about yourself when I do. I’m mad about that still.”

Rece Davis speculates what led to Kirby Smart timeout controversy

ESPN College GameDay host Rece Davis attempted to theorize what was going through Kirby Smart’s head when he seemingly appeared to signal for a timeout while trying to call out an Auburnd defender for illegally trying to simulate Georgia’s snap count.

“Now multiple things are true about this. No. 1, … Auburn was clapping, and it’s against the rules, so Kirby was right about that. My sense of it is that Kirby sort of flipped out for a second, lost contact with the mothership, and was like ‘Wait, they can’t clap!’ and inadvertently – he didn’t really want a timeout, there was no reason for him to want a timeout there,” Davis said on Wednesday’s episode of the College GameDay Podcast with ESPN insider Pete Thamel. “So he’s running up and he’s (thinking) ‘Timeout, they can’t clap’ and then realized ‘no, no, they’re clapping,’ (but) he should’ve been charged with a timeout. There’s no question about that.

“I don’t doubt that he didn’t really want one. That he was just mad they were clapping. But you’ve got to be charged with one because you called it,” Davis continued. “And for them not to do it is just another egregious error. Look, you can make errors all day long in officiating; we make them on TV. … Nobody is saying the officials have to be perfect. … (But) misapplication of the rules, that’s the primary reason you’re there. If not, we’ll just call our own fouls. You’re there to make sure the rules are not misapplied.”