Georgia State coach Shawn Elliott insinuates that SEC officiating crew helped Auburn with questionable late call, review

Nick Gray
Montgomery Advertiser

Georgia State coach Shawn Elliott has joined a growing list of teams and coaches that have a gripe with SEC officiating.

The Panthers coach referred to a catch by John Samuel Shenker on Auburn's game winning TD drive late in Saturday's comeback win for the Tigers on The Plains. Shenker made a 19-yard catch that created first down from the Georgia State 11-yard line for Auburn, who was down 24-19 to its Sun Belt opponent with 73 seconds left.

A replay angle from behind the play showed that the ball likely hit the turf before Shenker secured the ball, but a replay review by the SEC ruled that the catch stood as called.

Elliott, who spent seven seasons at South Carolina as an assistant coach and part of one season as an interim head coach, was irritated by the call.

“They had a little bit of help on that review where the ball was incomplete,” Elliott said according to ESPN's Alex Scarborough. “It should have been put back on the 30-yard line. But you know when you play in the SEC, you have to take the hits. And they gave us a real gut punch on that call.”

Georgia State's defense would then force 4th and 9 before Auburn backup QB TJ Finley, in for a benched Bo Nix, threw a touchdown pass to Shedrick Jackson to give the Tigers the late lead.

WHO'S NEXT UP? What's next for Auburn football at quarterback after TJ Finley replaced Bo Nix vs. Georgia State?

GRADES:Auburn football beat Georgia State, but did it fail its exam?

Georgia State Panthers head coach Shawn Elliott disputes a call with the official at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. Auburn Tigers defeated Georgia State Panthers 34-24.

It's not been the best eight days for SEC officiating. Last week, officials in Auburn's game at Penn State missed a down, creating a situation where the Nittany Lions punted on third down.

In Mississippi State-Memphis, a crazy Memphis punt return TD after an official appeared to start waving the ball dead was allowed to stand. After the game, the league revealed that Memphis had two players with the same number on the field for the play, which should have been a penalty.

Once again, a Saturday of college football includes a controversial call by an SEC officiating crew.