Fiesta Bowl referee defends 2 key calls

The Fiesta Bowl referee defended two key calls that went Clemson’s way after video reviews Saturday in the Tigers’ 29-23 victory against No. 2-ranked Ohio State at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

A crew of officials from the Southeastern Conference worked the game between ACC champion Clemson and Big Ten champion Ohio State. Referee Ken Williamson spoke to a pool reporter after the game to explain two crucial decisions made by replay review.

Replay officials initiated a video review that led to a targeting call on Ohio State defensive back Shaun Wade in the second quarter after he had sacked Trevor Lawrence on a third-and-5. Wade hit the bracing quarterback hard enough to keep him down on the turf for a few minutes. No flag was thrown on the field, but replay review spotted helmet-to-helmet contact.

Not only was Wade ejected, but what would have been a fourth down also became a first down for Clemson at the Ohio State 30.

“This was a crown-of-thehelmet targeting foul,” Williamson said. “So it did eliminate a lot of other factors. Initial contact was with the crown of the helmet. Then he wrapped up for the tackle. So at that point, targeting was properly called.”

A few plays later, Travis Etienne fought off a tackler with a stiff arm and scored from 8 yards for Clemson to make it 16-7 with 2:45 left in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, with Clemson up, 21-16, the Buckeyes appeared to score a touchdown after Clemson receiver Justyn Ross was stripped of the ball by Ohio State All-American Jeff

Okudah and the fumble was returned to the end zone by Jordan Fuller. Video review overturned the call on the field and ruled Ross never completed the catch.

“We had a lot of good looks on it,” Williamson said. “We put on fast motion and slow motion. The player did not complete the process of the catch, so, therefore, the pass was incomplete.”

Williamson said the play was reviewed in the stadium as well as at the video review center the SEC uses in Birmingham, Ala., and said they determined when Ross moved, the ball was becoming loose in his hands and he did not complete the process of the catch.

Virginia

The ACC’s Cavaliers (9-4) play Florida (10-2) Monday night in the Orange Bowl and a win might be the biggest bowl victory in school history. They have chance to crack the AP Top 25 and finish the season ranked for first time since 2004. They also are playing in a third consecutive bowl game for first time since 2002-05.

Elsewhere

The First Responder Bowl a year ago was canceled after being stopped in the first quarter because of thunderstorms and lingering bad weather in Dallas. Boston College led, 7-0, when the game was stopped. The game Monday between Western Kentucky (8-4) and Western Michigan (7-5) is being played at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on SMU’s campus instead of Cotton Bowl Stadium, where the NHL is staging the Winter Classic outdoor game Wednesday matching the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators.