Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo blasts SEC officials for 'ridiculous' fumble ruling on potential Auburn touchdown

Chris “Mad Dog” Russo was furious at SEC officials for a “ridiculous” fumble ruling on a potential Auburn touchdown vs. Georgia. In Saturday’s game, a 20-10 win for Georgia, Auburn had a chance to take a 17-0 lead.

On the play, Auburn had just inches to go before scoring and lined up for a quarterback sneak. Jackson Arnold took the ball and tried to power over the pile for a score. Meanwhile, Georgia’s Kyron Jones ended up running the other way with the ball. That was something the officials didn’t immediately notice, and Kirby Smart would point out to them. Of course, that’s a moot point if the ball crossed the goal line in Arnold’s possession.

The call on the field was ruled a fumble and recovered by Georgia. That was despite the fact Auburn appeared to score on replay from multiple angles.

“What were they having cocktails at eight o’clock at night watching this game in the SEC control room,” Russo said on First Take. “How in the world did they rule this a fumble and not a touchdown in the Auburn-Georgia game in Auburn, late in the first half, that’s a freaking touchdown. “They showed this play for 45 minutes. Here’s the ball towards the line, and he’s got the ball. That is a touchdown … There’s the football, there’s the ball, touchdown. They waited 20 minutes, and then they ruled it a fumble and then Georgia came down to kick the field. Only ended up winning the game 20 to 10. This changed the whole game. Auburn was up 10-0, if they score here at 17-0 and Georgia loses … they don’t make the playoff, most likely.

“If you’re an SEC replay official, and you’re in Atlanta, and you’re watching Georgia-Auburn and on Saturday night, and you have the 40 minutes to decide … I mean, that is ridiculous … That is a terrible job.”

The play on the goal line was immediately controversial. Even the broadcast was openly confused by the decision to take away a touchdown from Auburn and give Georgia a fumble recovery. That included play-by-play broadcaster Sean McDonough, who seemed baffled.

“I have no idea what they were looking at,” McDonough said. “All three of us thought that shot down the line where you can see the ball, especially when you sync it up from the other side with the top of his body, he still has the ball. The hand bats it away, then from the other replay that we saw from down the line, the ball’s across the line when the hand makes contact with the ball to punch it out.”