Music City Bowl: Refs screw over Tennessee in overtime (Video)
By Mark Powell
![Josh Heupel, Tennessee Volunteers. (USA Today) Josh Heupel, Tennessee Volunteers. (USA Today)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/dfc26dc2aee4f53fa435ad32a7e36b090730469460071059b2a447918ab7f7e0.jpg)
A great Music City Bowl was ruined by the officiating crew in overtime, as Tennessee should’ve been awarded a touchdown.
While neither Tennessee nor Purdue put up much of a fight in regulation, with both offenses putting up more than 600 yards of total offense, the Boilermakers finally made a stop in overtime.
However, should that have been the case?
The Vols were stopped short on fourth-and-goal, or at least that’s how the play was called on the field. Per replay review, the Tennessee running back remained on top of the Purdue defender when the whistle was blown.
SHOULD THIS HAVE BEEN A TENNESSEE TD?#CFB
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 31, 2021
pic.twitter.com/CV59aHhGxa
Music City Bowl: Officials just ruined the ending
The whistle was blown early, thus making the fact that the Vols player wasn’t down irrelevant. That’s an error by the official which clearly cost Tennessee points. Unfortunately for Josh Heupel and Co., it couldn’t be overturned.
Tennessee performed admirably for four quarters in the Music City Bowl, and the Vols fans showed up in Nashville to cheer on their Vols, setting an attendance record for the bowl game.
Purdue would cash in on a 39-yard field goal for the win, with Mitchell Fineran converting. Nothing is guaranteed with college kickers.
Tennessee missed a 56-yard field goal of their own at the end of regulation, but that was always considered a longshot. Once they were robbed of a touchdown on the first possession of overtime, any chance of victory faced similar odds.
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