Once again SEC officials determined the outcome of a game and once again the beneficiary was the Auburn Tigers.
Ole Miss was leading 28-27 with less than three minutes to play when the Rebels couldn’t get a first down and punted, the ball bounced hard off the turf and then glanced off the returner’s hand and went in the end zone where an Ole Miss player covered it.
The official said the ball had not been touched.
And it was hard to see, although that is what the officials get paid to do.
The replay left little doubt the ball touched the Auburn player.
Auburn drove 80 yards for a touchdown and won 35-28.
The Tigers' other favorable mistake by the officials was against the Arkansas Razorbacks two weeks ago.
With the game on the line Tiger quarterback Bo Nix fumbled the third down snap that was supposed to be spiked to stop the clock and set up a field goal with the Razorbacks leading 28-27.
Nix picked up the ball and threw it to the ground in the opposite direction of the line of scrimmage.
An obvious fumble, only after a long review it was called intentional grounding and Auburn was allowed to kick the field goal for the win.
On the following Monday the SEC said referee Jason Autrey made a mistake and then gave a lot of blah, blah, blah about what transpired after the fumble, which was recovered by Arkansas.
The following weekend Autrey did not work an SEC game, but there were two postponements so it wasn’t clear if he was being punished or not.
Regardless, this is two games Auburn has won thanks to the officials.