Did Alabama get shorted a down on FG drive against Ole Miss? It’s complicated

A miscommunication by the officials in the Alabama-Ole Miss game appears to have cost the Crimson Tide a shot a touchdown against Lane Kiffin on Saturday.

The Tide kicked a field goal to go up 9-7, but Alabama fans - and Nick Saban - felt like the math didn’t add up on the down marker.

“Yeah, I got hot about that one,” Saban told reporters after the game.

So what happened?

“SEC on CBS” rules analyst Gene Steratore went back to the film to explain.

“When it was second down and 16, the 5-yard gain from Alabama at the 11-yard line was really a first down,” Steratore said. “The down-box indicator moving near that stakes showing third, it was actually first. That is what upset coach Saban, naturally, because he thought he had third and inches when he ran the quarterback sneak, but it was really a first down and 10 from the 11 when they ran the sneak, so they missed that down as far as the communication as to what down that was.”

Saban said most of the time the official who marks the ball usually will indicate whether it is first down. The Alabama coach said the official didn’t do that, so the Tide went fast. But the chains moved as soon as the ball was snapped.

Saban said the referee signaled first down.

“When stuff like that happens the football Gods aren’t with you because it is just a miscommunication,” Saban said.

Roydell Williams run for 5 yds to the Ole Miss 11 for a first down, but the officials didn’t make it clear a new set of downs was gained. So, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe ran a keeper on what was thought to be third and 1 from the 11 and not first and 10.

The chains moved late, but officials appear to signal for second down.

“It cost us really,” Saban said. “We had to kick a field goal.”

On second and 9, Jase McClellan ran for 4 yards to the Ole Miss 6, then Milroe ran for a yard on the keeper.

So, when Milroe ran for 1 yard to the Ole Miss 6, Alabama thought that was a second-down play. It was, according to the officials, third down, which led to a fourth-down field goal.

The debate now is did Alabama lose a play? Well, the officials not making it clear when a first down was gained. Had that been communicated, Milroe wouldn’t have run a QB sneak on first, thus, you can argue the Tide lost a down.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.