The referees in the Kansas football vs. Illinois contest have made some questionable calls, especially in the second half.
There have been some debatable calls in the second half of the Kansas Jayhawks game against the Illinois Fighting Illini. Refereeing has cost the team several points, both on the offensive and defensive end.
In addition to the abnormally high number of unsportsmanlike conduct calls, phantom flags are being thrown out left and right tonight. Mason Fairchild was called for an illegal block in the back on what would have been a touchdown catch by Doug Emilien. Fairchild hardly touched the Illinois football defender, yet Kansas had to settle for three instead of a touchdown.
These refs are suspect in this Kansas Jayhawks game is suspect. A block in the back brought back a TD where there was no contact on the “block”, a suspect targeting call and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that the replay crew couldn’t find
— Tim Gautreau (@nolemonkey) September 9, 2023
Illinois followed up the blunder from the officials with a 72-yard touchdown run by quarterback Luke Altmyer. Bret Bielema opted to go for a two-point conversion to trim the lead to 19, and he threw an incomplete pass out the back of the end zone. But wait — there’s more.
Austin Booker, a Minnesota transfer, already had recorded a pair of sacks in the contest. When Altmyer tossed the incompletion, the Kansas football defensive lineman met the signal caller with a spear-like tackle in the ribs. It knocked the wind out of Altmyer, but it knocked Booker out of the game with a targeting penalty.
Sure, it was a hard hit, but this is just a big dude making a football play. See it for yourself:
Kansas DL Austin Booker is ejected for targeting after this hit on Illinois QB Luke Altmyer.
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 9, 2023
As it was a second-half penalty, he'll be ineligible for the first half of Kansas' next game, which is against Nevada. pic.twitter.com/xDu7xk3Lc0
It was an enormous blow to the defense, which has not looked as strong as it did in the first half. The team will be without one of the top edge rushers for the rest of today and the first half of next week’s showdown against Nevada in Reno.
Kansas football fans reacted to these poor calls on X (formerly Twitter).
I've never seen refs try to give a 2 pt conversion to a team so hare before. #Kansas #Jayhawks #Illinois
— Nate Plummer (@NatePlummer4) September 9, 2023
“Illinois is making this interesting”
— Michael Collins (@MCFanSided) September 9, 2023
Uhhh no. The officials are making this interesting…and painful to watch. #ILLvsKU
The refs are garbage in this Illinois-Kansas game. Oof
— Richard Hennings (@RichHasThoughts) September 9, 2023
Boy these refs cheating like hell in this Kansas Illinois game
— Chris… (@chris2turnt) September 9, 2023
Ay the refs getting paid big money in this Kansas vs Illinois game😂😂
— Grizzly🧸 (@GrizzlyX10) September 9, 2023
So not only do the refs penalize a great player for making a textbook hit, but he has to sit out the first half of next week? Sorry Austin Booker. That might be one of the worst calls I’ve seen in a long time.
— Daniel Conner (@ConnerDaniel13) September 9, 2023
Common sense standpoint, that is an awful call. By the book? Good call.
— Riley Gates (@Riley_Gates) September 9, 2023
Conclusion? Let’s use common sense more often.
Austin Booker just got ejected & will miss the first half of the game at Nevada next weekend for tackling someone
— Braiden Turner (@bturner23) September 9, 2023
(Updated 9:30 p.m. CT)
You can’t make this stuff up. Cobee Bryant, the best player on the Kansas football defense, was just ejected for targeting a receiver who ducked his head into the tackle.
#Kansas DB Cobee Bryant was flagged & ejected for targeting for this hit pic.twitter.com/k9syux7fay
— Video from: @TSV__1 (@TSV__1) September 9, 2023
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