"Refs took a bullet for Michigan's foot": Controversial no-call on Alabama punter leaves Crimson Tide fans fuming

The Rose Bowl featuring two of the winningest programs in college football history is finally here. Both running backs opened the scoring for their teams, with Alabama's Jase McClellan getting in the end zone and Michigan’s Blake Corum responding in kind.

However, amidst the chaos, one controversial no-call has left Alabama fans fuming. The incident happened after Jalen Milroe and the offense had to take a 3rd-and-out, bringing out the punt team.

During the kick, Michigan edge rusher Kechaun Bennett collided with Alabama punter James Burnip, knocking him to the ground. Fans expected a penalty, which would’ve resulted in an automatic first down. However, the no-call gave Michigan possession.

After the incident, fans flocked to X to voice their discontent with the referees. One fan claimed the refs were working for Michigan, saying:

Another just claimed the refs were incompetent:

On a rare occurrence, even a Michigan fan agreed with Bama fans, saying that there should’ve been a penalty:

On the other hand, Michigan fans saw nothing wrong with the call, claiming punter James Burnip flopped for a penalty.

What is the “running into the kicker” penalty?

According to the rulebooks, a “running into the kicker” penalty happens when a defensive player runs into the kicker who’s kicking from behind the lines. However, the penalty can’t be given out in the following scenarios:

1. is incidental to and occurs after the defender has touched the kick in flight
2. is caused by the kicker’s own motions
3. occurs during a quick kick or a rugby-style kick
4. occurs during or after a run behind the line
5. occurs after the kicker recovers a loose ball on the ground
6. occurs because a defender is pushed or blocked (causing a change of direction) into the kicker
7. is the result of a foul by an opponent

If penalized, the player guilty of the foul is called for a “personal foul,” and the defensive team gets a 15-yard penalty, while the offense gets an automatic first down. The player can also get disqualified, depending on the severity of the foul.