Tennessee loses on controversial call, a breakdown

What Happened

In a high-scoring Music City Bowl matchup, the Tennessee Volunteers face off against the Purdue Boilermakers in a back-and-forth overtime thriller. With the game tied 45-45 and fourth down looming, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel makes the gutsy call to go for the win instead of kicking the field goal. Quarterback Hendon Hooker takes the snap and scrambles, narrowly picking up the first down to keep the drive alive. On the next play, Hooker battles his way towards the end zone, reaching the ball out as he's wrapped up. The ball comes loose, but the Tennessee sideline erupts in celebration, convinced Hooker scored the game-winning touchdown. However, the officials rule that Hooker's forward progress had been stopped, negating the apparent score. Furious, Coach Heupel pleads with the referees to review the play, insisting "it's not even close" and that Tennessee deserves the points. But the officials stand by their call, leaving the Volunteers stunned and the Boilermakers clinging to a narrow lead. Purdue then kicks a field goal to extend their advantage, ultimately securing a 48-45 victory in the hard-fought overtime battle. Earlier in the game, there was another controversial call when a Purdue player appeared to score a touchdown, but the officials ruled that his forward progress had been stopped as well. Tennessee fans had voiced their displeasure over that decision, and the late-game reversal only adds to their frustration. As the final seconds tick away, a dejected Coach Heupel can only shrug and accept the tough loss, knowing his team was denied the victory by the officiating crew's questionable rulings. The Tennessee players and fans are left distraught, feeling they were robbed of the win in a game that deserved a more definitive conclusion.

Full Transcript

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it was a pleasure to be a part of we're

now under overtime are there any

questions yes how upset are you that you

said graeme instead of game let's go to

the music city bowl it's fourth and two