The Oklahoma Sooners took a very harsh penalty after their opening touchdown Saturday against TCU that ended up having some pretty significant implications.
The Sooners got on the board first in the opening quarter through a CeeDee Lamb 37-yard touchdown reception. After the score, Lamb and a teammate did what appeared to be a pre-rehearsed celebratory handshake. Apparently that was a bridge too far, because Lamb was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, with the celebration deemed “choreographed.”
This was a 15-yard penalty because it was a “choreographed” celebration.
OU was forced to kick off from its own 20. TCU’s KaVontae Turpin returned it for a TD. It’s tied 7-7. pic.twitter.com/rgxOxKUrFv
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) October 20, 2018
Well, by the letter of the law, perhaps it was choreographed, but that’s a pretty harsh thing to penalize. It’s not as if anyone was being shown up.
To make matters worse, the ensuing kickoff was taken deeper due to the enforcement of the penalty, and TCU ended up returning it for a game-tying touchdown.
The NCAA can certainly hand out unsportsmanlike calls for bad reasons. By the letter of the law, they were perhaps correct here, but that’s a pretty silly thing to penalize.
