The Texas Longhorns caught a big break in their College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Wednesday when a targeting foul was not called late in the game.
Arizona State had a 3rd-and-15 late in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 24. Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt passed to Melquan Stovall for 10 yards, and Stovall got drilled by Texas defensive back Michael Taaffe.
Replays showed that Taaffe had hit a defenseless Stovall in the head and neck area, which would typically trigger a targeting infraction.
Clear head to head contact by Texas to a defenseless ASU receiver and the refs don't call targeting. pic.twitter.com/z6nz9QmVkX
— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) January 1, 2025
Despite Taaffe’s hit seeming to be a targeting foul, the officials reviewed it and declined to call a penalty.
Fans were surprised that targeting was not called on the play.
This is the definition of “Targeting” unfortunately Texas has to make it to the semi’s so it’s not called pic.twitter.com/k9tap36iP7
— Shefty (@AustinSchefter) January 1, 2025
I have watched every college football game that matters — and tons that don’t — for the entire targeting era. How is this not targeting? Legit would love to hear this explained. It’s textbook. pic.twitter.com/yjNOtnoEX4
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 1, 2025
Why have a targeting rule if you are going to call obvious targeting in the biggest games?
How could they look at this and deem it not targeting???
pic.twitter.com/GhJVMHAvMy— Jay Feely (@jayfeely) January 1, 2025
Rather than getting a first down, Arizona State had a 4th-and-5 and decided to punt to keep the game tied. Texas had a chance to win the game, but kicker Bert Auburn missed his second straight field goal attempt, sending the game to overtime.
