The SEC has admitted that its officiating crew made a crucial mistake during Saturday’s game between Auburn and Oklahoma.
Oklahoma beat Auburn 24-17 in a tight game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. The first touchdown of the day was a 24-yard pass from Sooners quarterback John Mateer to wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III, who was completely uncovered after the Auburn defense lost track of him.
As it turns out, the play should have resulted in a penalty. Sategna first began jogging toward the Oklahoma sideline as if he were going to be subbed out of the game. The Sooners then lined up to snap the ball quickly, and Auburn’s defense had no idea Sategna had stayed on the field.
ESPN rules analyst Matt Austin explained that Oklahoma should have been penalized because rules prohibit teams from using the substitution process to deceive an opponent.
Did Oklahoma use the substitution rule to deceive Auburn? If so, obviously illegal, according to Matt Austin, ESPN's rules analyst. Hard to judge intent. pic.twitter.com/4YWgYv2Ss2
— Gabe Burggraf (@GabeBurggraf) September 20, 2025
Austin’s interpretation of the play was correct. The SEC issued a statement after the game explaining that Oklahoma violated NCAA rules regarding unfair substitution tactics when Sategna began running off the field and then stopped.
“The officiating crew did not properly interpret the action as a hideout tactic. If properly officiated, the second down play should have resulted in a team unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of 15 yards assessed from the previous spot,” the statement read.
Statement on @AuburnFootball/@OU_Football game: pic.twitter.com/PCn8AwLkeb
— SEC Officiating (@SECOfficiating) September 21, 2025
The touchdown came on 2nd-and-22 after Oklahoma committed a holding penalty and then lost two yards on a running play. Had the correct ruling been made, the Sooners would have had 2nd-and-37. Instead, they scored a touchdown and went up 10-3 early.
Oklahoma went on to win by a touchdown, so the play had a significant impact on the game.
