ABC rules analyst reveals missed penalty on OU TD for substitution trick, officials dispute

A controversial play that did not incur a penalty in a game between Auburn and Oklahoma led to a touchdown for the Sooners and a near explosion on the sidelines by Tigers coach Hugh Freeze. The play in question occurred in the second quarter.

Receiver Isaiah Sategna headed toward the sideline but stopped before he fully exited the field. The ball was snapped, leaving Sategna an eligible player according to the referees’ ruling.

He then slipped easily into the end zone for an uncovered touchdown pass. Freeze immediately lost it on the sideline, but even the announcers were confused. Broadcaster Greg McElroy thought it should have been ruled a penalty.

“From the body language of him walking off I agree with Greg,” rules expert Matt Austin said. “I didn’t see where he lined up. I don’t know if he was on the line of scrimmage or just a yard back. If he was five yards back in the backfield that adds to that he was trying to deceive the opponents.”

The officials on the field didn’t rule anything, allowing the play to go on and Sategna to ultimately make the catch. But it sure looked like a bit of trickery.

According to Bob Stoops, via Teddy Lehman on the radio broadcast, Oklahoma practiced that particular play all week. So it certainly seemed orchestrated.

Even Matt Austin seemed to think it probably should have been penalized. But he admitted he couldn’t fully see from the TV view he had.

“Yeah I wish I could see the player all the way to the sideline, but I can’t,” Austin said. “But you cannot use the substitution process to deceive your opponent. If that’s what they were trying to do that’s an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. If that’s what they were trying to do it should be 15 yards and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.”

A few minutes after the action had resumed, ABC cut back with a report from the sideline. Molly McGrath provided more.

“During that break, I spoke with referee Jeff Heaser,” McGrath said. “He said ‘All I can say about that is we confirmed there were 11 people on the field and No. 5 technically left the field of play.’ That’s why it wasn’t called.”

Oklahoma led 10-3 following the controversial call. That remained the score late in the second quarter at the time of this writing.