Analyst Rips Highly Questionable Call Against Ohio State vs. Oregon

A notable analyst has ripped into a highly questionable call that hurt the Ohio State Buckeyes late against Oregon.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith hauls in a catch as the No. 3 Oregon Ducks host the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes ended up falling to the Oregon Ducks by a final score of 32-31 in the marquee matchup between two national championship contenders on Saturday night.

While the loss was tough to swallow, there was a call on the final drive of the game that made it even worse. With Ohio State driving and coming close to field goal range, Will Howard found Jeremiah Smith on a pass that would have easily placed them in range for the game-winning kick.

Unfortunately, a yellow flag went flying out on the play. An offensive pass interference call was made against Smith.

Here is the play in question so that you can see it for yourself:

Another look at the OPI called against Jeremiah Smith ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/UPukzS6XcU

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 13, 2024

Some have given their support of the call, while others don't agree with that call being made.

Notable college football analyst Joel Klatt has come out and ripped into the call. He flat out called it a "bad call" in his breakdown.

"Was there contact between Jeremiah Smith and the corner? Yes. And was it physical? Yes. There's no doubt," Klatt said. "On the film, all night it had been physical and in fact, the play previous Jeremiah Smith is being held the entire time he's trying to run a corner route. It was a physical game. And they had let them play, for the most part, throughout the entirety of the game.."

He continued on, getting more into the play in question and ripping into the call being made.

"Then all of a sudden, the corner squats and Jeremiah Smith is running his route and contacts the corner and then breaks out, doesn't extend, again he doesn't push off in order to create the space. And the flag comes out. I thought it was a bad call. Just kind of point blank. I would say that for anybody. Why? Because based on my conversations with officials, he didn't extend, he doesn't push. Is there contact? Yes. Is there contact on every play before that? Yes. The fact that the flag came out there was a poor call."

Klatt makes a very good point. That kind of pushing and physical play had been allowed all game long. To choose that play and that situation to throw the flag was highly questionable at best.

It cost the Buckeyes a chance to win the game and Howard continue on to make a brutal mistake of his own. On what would be the final play of the game, Howard ran the football with one timeout left and didn't slide until the clock hit zero.

Thankfully, this loss hardly eliminates Ohio State from the College Football Playoff. They are still just as much a national championship contender as they were heading into the Oregon matchup.

However, seeing referees make calls like that is frustrating. Smith certainly made contact, but to allow that kind of play all game and then make a call in the final seconds just isn't a good look.

Klatt is 100 percent correct to call out the officiating of that play and rip into it so aggressively.