SEC Explanation of Blown Arkansas-Auburn Call Is Unsatisfying

The SEC addressed the call at the end of Arkansas-Auburn, in which Auburn QB Bo Nix clearly threw a backwards pass on a spike, Arkansas clearly recovered, it was ruled intentional grounding, and the play stood as called upon review:

So the SEC is acknowledging that the officials got the call wrong on the field, but that by the letter -- because they blew the whistle -- there was no immediate recovery and thus it could not be overturned. What the SEC is effectively saying is that a backwards pass on a spike would never be overturned if it is ruled a forward pass on the field, because the whistle would always blow before the ball gets immediately recovered.

Here is what NBC Sports officiating expert Terry McAulay said about the call:

One thing this SEC statement doesn't change: Arkansas fans have a right to be livid that they were deprived of an upset over Auburn.