SEC explains no-call during UK-Florida game

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Southeastern Conference office, "at the request of the University of Kentucky," reviewed Florida's fourth-down play in overtime against the Wildcats — the one Mark Stoops, UK fans and most observers thought was a delay of game on the Gators — and came back with an answer. Sort of.

"Officials applied the proper mechanics and guidelines that are in place to determine when a flag should be thrown for delay of game," the league said in a statement. "The back judge is responsible for delay of game calls. The procedure for the back judge is for his eyes to stay on the clock when it nears zero. When the clock hits zero, he immediately looks from the clock to the ball. If the ball is moving, there is no delay of game. If the ball is stationary, a delay of game penalty is called."

The inherent flaw in this system is clear: a single set of eyes can't be in two places at once, leaving a window of time — even if only a fraction of a second — where the clock could be expired and the officials' eyes aren't yet on the ball. That's an unavoidable margin for error in the current system, an unforgivable flaw as far as the Cats are concerned.

Stoops said after the game he thought it should've been a penalty "but it doesn't matter." Asked for the coach's reaction to the league's response Monday, UK spokesman Tony Neely said: "By league rule we cannot comment on officiating."

Fans can. And, boy, have they. Outrage and conspiracy theories are the order of the day.

They will forever point to that no-call as the reason Kentucky's unimaginable losing streak against Florida lives on, now 28 straight after a 36-30 triple-overtime escape. It really couldn't have come much closer to ending Saturday night at The Swamp.

Kentucky freshman Stanley "Boom" Williams almost authored one of the most significant chapters in the program's history when he reversed field on a screen pass to the right, zipped left and lost a handful of Florida defenders for an electric, 25-yard touchdown for the lead on the first play of the first overtime.

On the Gators' turn to tie it, sophomore defensive end Jason Hatcher ripped through the line and slung down tailback Kelvin Taylor for a 4-yard loss. A streak that had survived 10,164 days was one play away from finally dying. Florida faced fourth-and-7 from the Cats' 9-yard line.

The Gators got to the line, but suddenly there was a buzz in the crowd. It was taking too long. The play clock was ticking down. And down. And down. Quarterback Jeff Driskel was waving his hands frantically behind the center, football sign language for "Snap right NOW!"

The play clock appeared to hit zero just before Florida got it off. Twitter was flooded with freeze-frame shots of just that: a red zero on the clock, Driskel's hands outstretched, the Gators' entire offensive line still down in its stance and no visible ball in the air on its way to the QB standing a few yards back in a shotgun formation.

But no flags flew — despite Stoops' red-faced plea to officials — and instead a touchdown toss took flight. Driskel, fading backward, let loose a looping ball that sailed over two Cats defenders and into the waiting arms of Demarcus Robinson. The last of his staggering 15 catches for 216 yards was his most important.

Florida tied the game, traded field goals in the second overtime and, by the skin of its teeth, extended the streak when UK missed a field goal and the Gators ran in a touchdown in the third OT. It's important to note that even if a flag had been thrown, Florida would've gotten another shot.

But Stoops would take fourth-and-12 from the 14 — and another chance to throw every available defender at Robinson and make someone else beat the Cats. The question is: could they have?

Defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot "couldn't tell" if the play clock expired, but it's beside the point.

"It was frustrating to me that we didn't stop (Robinson)," Eliot said. "That's what was frustrating to me."

Kentucky fans will respectfully disagree, directing their anger elsewhere, pledging their aggrievance to a flag that was never thrown.

Kyle Tucker can be reached at (502) 582-4361. Follow him on Twitter @KyleTucker_CJ.