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The Auburn Tigers were the subject of a controversial call at the goal line in the second quarter of their game against the No. 10 Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night.
Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold attempted to sneak into the end zone over a pile of offensive and defensive lineman in the second quarter when the ball was forced from his hands by linebacker Raylen Wilson. Arnold was very close to the goal line before the fumble was called.
A Georgia defender picked up the ball and was hellbent on returning it for a touchdown but the play was blown dead. Officials determined that Arnold fumbled the ball before he crossed the goal line. Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was irate. Auburn athletics director John Cohen was seen berating officials as the team went into the locker room for halftime.
It ignited a debate on social media.
Freeze spoke about the fumble after the game.
“All you have to do is have the nose of the ball break the plane,” Freeze said. “It didn’t go our way.”
Arnold would have put the Tigers up 16-0 with the score, but the turnover helped spark a Georgia comeback. The Bulldogs would keep the Tigers’ offense at bay for the rest of the game. The team scored 20 unanswered points and won 20-10.
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“A tale of two halves,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said. “Our kids never quit. I’m as proud of this team as I am of probably any team.”
Arnold was 19-of-31 with 137 passing yards. He had 55 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Auburn had 278 yards of total offense and were penalized 11 times for 103 yards.
“It’s very clear that we find ways to not win football games, and that’s what has to change,” Freeze said. “That locker room is a good enough football team to play the games and win the games.”
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton was 24-of-37 with 217 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. Chauncey Bowens also had a rushing touchdown.
Georgia moved to 5-1 with the win. Auburn fell to 3-3.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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