"The officiating in this game has been atrocious": Jason Whitlock calls out referees in Colorado vs Nebraska showdown on Week 2
The Nebraska Cornhuskers continued their winning streak in Week 2 after defeating the Colorado Buffaloes comfortably by 28-10. The Huskers dominated the first half of the game by scoring 14 points in both quarters. However, their offense stalled in the second half, mainly because of the penalties that made it difficult for Nebraska to gain momentum.
Some football critics are now calling out the referees as they believe officiating became a concern, which raised eyebrows on both sides. During the game, former football player and podcaster Jason Whitlock took to X (formerly Twitter), to call out a roughing call, which he termed a "makeup call." Jason wrote:
"The officiating in this game has been atrocious, as bad as the broadcasting. The roughing call was a makeup call. This has been hard to watch."
Nebraska Cornhuskers fans were surprised by several holding penalties that gave away positive plays for their team in the second half. They felt that Colorado too was holding on many plays, but those penalties were not called, leading to accusations of biased officiating. This alleged disparity left Nebraska with 12 penalties for 105 yards, compared to Colorado's nine penalties for 104 yards.
Nevertheless, the Cornhuskers finished their three-game losing streak against Colorado while managing an 18-point victory, which is the largest against them since a 45-17 victory in 2010. They held the Buffs to just 16 rushing yards, including six sacks that resulted in 41 yards lost, with four sacks coming before halftime.
Nebraska Cornhuskers HC Matt Rhule voices frustration over officiating after game
Following the game, Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule also voiced his opinion with the officiating in the post-game press conference. He expressed his frustration, saying that the officiating was not in their favor and pointed fingers at the Big 12 crew overseeing the game.
“I was disappointed we didn’t get too many calls going our way. It’s a Big 12 crew, so I can’t get fined by them,” said Matt Rhule
However, it wasn't just Nebraska complaining, as a moment of controversy arose when officials ruled that a reception by Colorado's wide receiver, Jimmy Horn Jr., was not given a catch.
Fans from both teams are now voicing their opinion, as some feel the Nebraska Cornhuskers were being unfairly penalized, while others believe the Colorado Buffaloes were not receiving fair treatment from the officials. This back-and-forth between the fans has highlighted the inconsistency in the officiating in the Nebraska-Colorado rivalry game.