ESPN's Louis Riddick claims pass interference should've been called on final play of Ole Miss-Miami game

On the final play of the College Football Playoff Semifinal showdown between Miami and Ole Miss, controversy reigned supreme. Hurricanes defensive back Ethan O’Connor grabbed Rebels wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling’s jersey as the ball floated downfield.

Despite that, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ pass still hit Stribling’s hand before falling to the ground. No flag was thrown for defensive pass interference, and the game ended on a controversial note. ESPN’s Louis Riddick took the officials to task for the entire ordeal.

“This is pass interference. It just is,” Riddick claimed, via Get Up. “As a former defensive back, you know I hate to say that, but that’s pass interference, and that is not a Hail Mary throw. That’s the kind of throw that, in the middle of a game, it’s going to get called every single time. … It has to be called pass interference, because that’s exactly what it is.

“The defensive back barely tries to make a play on the ball. He has his hand on the jersey of De’Zhaun Stribling right there. He never really tries to go up and make a play on the football. He just basically pulls him to the ground. In the normal course of a game, this is going to be called 100 out of 100 times.”

Despite referees wanting to officiate the final throw of the game differently, Riddick believes there’s no argument for not calling a penalty in that situation: ” I understand the argument, when you’re talking about jump-ball situations, Hail Mary situations, a lot of times refs just kind of let things go,” he added.

“But that right there? It’s not a jump ball. It’s not a Hail Mary situation. This is basically one on one, DB versus wide receiver. Wide receiver’s getting mugged and pulled to the ground. That’s a fact.

“So, for you to swallow the whistle and just let them play at that point, and not want to interject yourself and say, ‘Look, I don’t want to decide the football game as an official, I want the players to decide it.’ Quite honestly, right there? I can understand why the Ole Miss fanbase and the Ole Miss players are absolutely livid right now. They’re going to say, ‘Look, that’s pass interference all day long, how can you not call that?’ It’s a one-on-one situation. This wasn’t four guys in a scrum. This is one-on-one.”

While Riddick is adamant about it, his commentary won’t change Miami’s victory. Moving forward, they won’t have to go far for the championship game. It’ll be at Hard Rock Stadium Jan. 19. The Hurricanes now wait to find out if they will play Oregon or Indiana.