“Before you start telling the nation that the “no call” against Terrence Cody Saturday evening is part of some SEC officiating conspiracy please do a little bit of research. Sometimes all it takes is something as simple as reading the rule book to stop a conspiracy theory dead in its tracks. The rule book states that taking off one’s helmet during a live ball will be a “dead ball” penalty, meaning that 15 yards will be assessed on the NEXT play. Since the clock ran out during the play the game is still over. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “a game can’t end on a defensive penalty.” While that is true, this rule (a game not being able to end on a defensive penalty) only applies to “live ball” penalties. Even if there was time left on the clock at the end of the play, and a flag was thrown for Cody’s obvious infraction, then, because Julio Jones recovered the blocked kick, Alabama would have been penalized 15 yards from where Julio recovered the ball and simply taken a knee to end the game. I am glad that the officials recognized this during the heat of the moment and chose not to throw a flag for it would have squandered the initial excitement of the game winning play. But part of me wishes that they did throw the flag. If they did throw the flag then they would have have said something similar to the following, “Since the penalty is a dead ball infraction and the clock ran out during the play the game is over.” Although that would have killed the initial excitement of the play it would have kept people from spewing conspiracy theories on national television. I will be watching PTI tomorrow and waiting for your correction."

It doesn’t matter or not if the infraction occured before or after the time clock expires. This isn’t basketball.

Have you ever seen football officials blow the play dead because the time clock ran out? Have you ever seen them stop a play? Have you ever seen a team score with no time on the clock? Football games do not end when the time runs out, the last play continues on until dead. In those cases, penalties can occur.

When a team goes for a hail mary with 1 second left, you don’t see defenders pulling down receivers because the time ran out. They would still be called on those penalties.

Ultimately, the penalty would not have resulted in a rekick, so it’s moot, but whether there was time on the clock or not is irrelevant.