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ESPN rules analyst calls out officials over controversial overturn of LSU TD

FaceProfileby: Thomas Goldkamp08/31/25
NCAA Football: South Alabama at Louisiana State
Sep 28, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of a 100 years of Tiger Stadium patch on a pylon during the second quarter between the LSU Tigers and South Alabama Jaguars at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

A controversial ruling could have a big impact in the Clemson vs. LSU game on Saturday night. What seemed to be a review for a potential touchdown catch instead ended up with a ruling for an incompletion, backing LSU up considerably and taking possible points off the board.

The controversy occurred after quarterback Garrett Nussmeier uncorked a deep ball toward the front right corner of the end zone to Zavion Thomas. Thomas seemed to haul in the catch, but he was initially ruled short at the half yard line.

The play went to review, seemingly to see if he had gotten into the end zone. But officials found something else, apparently ruling that Thomas had not secured the catch into the ground.

ABC’s on-air rules expert disagreed. He voiced his opinion on the broadcast.

“My thought is we had a touchdown,” ABC rules expert Bill Lemonnier said. “I thought he had firm control, took a step, got to the end zone. Even hit the pylon where he’d get the ball extended to.”

LSU’s drive would stall after the controversial ruling, with the Tigers forced to settle for a field goal attempt. Worse, kicker Damian Ramos missed the attempt and then seemed to injure himself in the process.

The score remained tied at 10-10 as a result, with time quickly ticking away. ABC revisited the play following a commercial break and once more Lemonnier disagreed with the call.

“He’s got firm control,” Lemonnier said. “He’s got a foot down in bounds. He’s making a football move. And he’s even hit the pylon, which gives him even if it wasn’t goal-line extended.

“They’re saying when he hit the ground with that ball movement that that created the incomplete pass. In my view, I would have had a touchdown.”

The third quarter ended with LSU driving across midfield. The game was still tied 10-10.