WATCH: Lincoln Riley tracks down officials, gets heated after controversial end to first half
Lincoln Riley was hot after a USC drive into Arizona territory was cut short by an apparent homefield clock mishap. A USC pass got the Trojans within the Wildcats 10 and a first down stopped the clock with six seconds remaining.
Then the ref stood over the ball while the clock ticked down to zeroes before USC could snap the ball. The ref hadn’t signaled for the clock to start after the chains were set, but ruled the half over.
The Riley came in hot for the officials, with the Trojans holding a slim 17-13 lead in Tucson at the break. While his team went to the locker room, Riley got within spitting distance of the refs.
For a good 30 seconds, Riley gives the refs a piece of his mind — and frankly, he’s got a fair case to make.
And clearly his athletic director has his back, based on the retweets at halftime, though it’s too late to help USC now.
USC athletic director Mike Bohn retweet a deal of criticism for the officials at halftime
Bohn is not amused with the clock getting run out on a drive for the Trojan football team at Arizona when it seemingly shouldn’t have.
After a first down inside the Wildcat 10, the ref stood over the ball while the clock was stopped and the chains got set. Then, with both teams lined up and ready to go — but absent the refs signal to run the clock — the clock ran down from six seconds to zeroes.
The refs ruled it to be the half and USC didn’t get a chance to build on a 17-13 lead. Bohn took to Twitter and retweeted some criticism of the mishap in Tuscon.
With the second half already underway, there’s nothing to be done about it now — except take to Twitter and gripe.