After witnessing Texas defensive end Michael Taaffe not being called for a targeting penalty on ASU wide receiver Melquan Stovall, college football fans and analysts are going back and forth on the ruling.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!With the score tied 24-24 in the fourth quarter, Stovall caught the ball and immediately took a hard hit to the head by Taaffe just as Arizona State was progressively moving up the field. Following an official review, it was controversially determined there was no targeting on the play.
Texas would go on to win 39-31 in double overtime even though many are left questioning what could have been if this call had been ruled differently.
Going on the ESPN show “First Take,” analyst Stephen A. Smith was shocked by the officials’ decision.
“I don’t want to say robbed, I really, really don’t. I am looking at and I am saying, ‘That was a targeting’ with that they did not call. You got to call that for crying out loud,” Smith said. “To miss that call because if you did give them that call – the right call, they [ASU] are in a position to kick a game-winning field goal and come back from a 24-8 deficit and win this game.”
.@stephenasmith on Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo vs. Texas:
"This brother was something special." ???? pic.twitter.com/pNdttaKeD6
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 2, 2025
No targeting call on Taafe for @TexasFootball — which they are VERY lucky for. Had he gotten sited for targeting, @ASUFootball is in the Final Four
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) January 1, 2025
Because of the judgment by the referees, Taaffe remained in the game and Arizona State had to punt after Stovall’s 10-yard completion was on third-and-15. If it was targeting, ASU would have gotten a pivotal first down and had the opportunity to get into field goal range.
ASU’s defense went on to give up a crucial 28-yard touchdown when Texas was on fourth-and-13 in the first overtime before Sam Leavitt threw an interception in the second overtime, resulting in the 39-31 loss in the Peach Bowl.
While the kicking unit has been poor this season and there was no guarantee whoever stepped up to the ball would make it, not having the chance to see what could have happened has led to Sun Devil fans being disappointed. Carston Kieffer was 2-for-3 on field goal kicks in the game.
The general consensus is that the call was targeting but no matter the circumstances, ASU still had the chance to win in overtime regardless and fell short.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Suns, ASU Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
