The television announcers for Saturday&8217;s LSU-Georgia football game at least understood (or had in front of them) the SEC rules covering play review.

As those rules closely follow the NCAA guidelines for play review, I would be really surprised if all or most broadcast personnel did not understand those rules. The application of those rules came into play no later than the opening kickoff in that SEC Championship in Atlanta.

Georgia&8217;s kickoff return man appeared to have fumbled the ball as he was tackled, with LSU recovering the ball deep in Georgia territory. However, one of the officials thought the ball was dead and blew his whistle.

As anything that happens to the ball after the whistle is of no consequence, no review of the play is called for in that situation. I could not clearly see what had actually happened, so I will make no comment on the official&8217;s call but it is incumbent on any official to see the complete play before making any call.

I have a couple of additional comments about last weekend&8217;s games. Friday night I watched the last quarter of the Louisiana Tech-Fresno State game. Though heavily favored at home and nationally ranked, Fresno State was way behind Louisiana Tech late in the game.

As Tech was driving for yet another score, its ball carrier was tackled while trying to sweep right end. The ball came out (it appeared that his knee was already on the ground, but no replay was done) and a Fresno player picked it up and ran for a touchdown.

As he approached the goal line, with no pursuit near, he dove into the end zone. An official dropped a flag, and his team was penalized 15 yards on the extra point attempt. The kick was no good, and that extra point could have been the difference in the game&8217;s outcome later.

Though Fresno State had already clinched the WAC title and Louisiana Tech already had six wins and was bowl-eligible, the game was important because Fresno was nationally ranked.

Saturday night Florida State was beating heavily favored Virginia Tech. Tech scored a late touchdown and appeared to be mounting a late comeback. However, Tech quarterback Marcus Vick spiked the ball after scoring.

The 15-yard penalty was enforced on the ensuing kickoff, giving Florida State good field position. Though Virginia Tech got the ball back and again scored, that field position difference took a couple of minutes off the time that Florida State later had to kill to run out the clock and preserve their victory.

One of these days these college hot shots will be made to realize the game is about the team and not an individual. There is nothing wrong with happy celebration, but antics that call attention to the individual himself have no place at the college level.

And that&8217;s official

Al Graning is a former SEC official and former Natchez resident. Reach him at

AlanWard39157@aol.com

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