SEC Acknowledges Officiating Error on Tennessee Onside Kick vs. Texas

Chattanooga, TN, September 28, 2026 — The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has acknowledged an officiating error concerning a specific play during the recent game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas Longhorns. The conference stated on Monday that an onside kick executed by the Volunteers on Saturday was incorrectly managed by game officials.

According to the SEC’s review, the onside kick should have resulted in a five-yard penalty. The conference cited two specific reasons for this determination: the ball was not kicked from the designated 35-yard line, and it was moved after play had already commenced. The proper procedure, as indicated by the conference, would have been to flag the infraction and force a replay of the down.

The specific details regarding the penalty yardage and the subsequent on-field decision were communicated by the conference on Monday, following the Saturday game. The SEC’s statement did not include further commentary on the impact of this specific officiating decision on the game’s outcome. The contractor’s name involved in the officiating review was not provided. The date of the game was Saturday, with the correction issued on Monday.

The conference’s acknowledgement of this type of officiating mistake is part of its ongoing process to review game events and ensure adherence to the rules of football. The SEC did not provide additional information regarding any potential disciplinary actions or further reviews related to this incident. The specific timeline for when the ball was moved after play started was not detailed.

Story summarized from the original created by Rick Nyman on www.wdef.com, see more information here.