The officiating was a significant factor in the College Football Playoff semifinal between Ole Miss and Miami. Many fans thought a crucial pass interference call was missed during Ole Miss’ final attempt to secure a win, which ended in a 31-27 defeat to the Hurricanes.
The game concluded Thursday night with Miami’s QB Carson Beck scoring a rushing touchdown just 18 seconds before the final whistle. This left Ole Miss with very little time on their last drive.
With six seconds left, Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss managed to connect on passes of 23 and 17 yards, advancing Ole Miss to the Miami 35. He aimed for receiver DeZone Stribling in the end zone, but the throw was out of reach. However, replays suggested there may have been defensive pass interference.
It appeared that Hurricanes defensive back Ethan O’Connor had grabbed Stribling by the collar while he was running, but no flag was thrown for the play.
Despite seeing what seemed like a clear penalty, Stribling and other Ole Miss players were left without a call from the officials.
The absence of a penalty quickly became a heated topic on social media. One user expressed strong feelings about Ole Miss being wronged, saying, “The referee was right there watching it… It was definitely pass interference.”
Another comment reflected a mixed reaction: “I wanted Miami to win, but that was a terrible missed pass interference by the referee.”
A third user added, “If that wasn’t pass interference on the last play, then Miami wouldn’t be in Florida.”
As the game progressed, Miami initially found themselves trailing at 27-24 after Chambliss’ touchdown to DeQuan Wright with a little over three minutes left in the game, making it seem like Ole Miss had a chance to move forward in the CFP.
With this victory, Miami is set to play in the national championship game for the first time since their matchup against Ohio State in the 2002 season.
