Todd's Rant on SEC Officiating

- I want to have an SEC team playing for the national title every year...However, it's very discouraging to see the SEC officials paving the way for their undefeated teams. I know the league would love to see #1 and #2 in the country play for the conference title, but the refs shouldn't play a part in guaranteeing that.

- A replay official has one job during a game: Look at the video evidence. Study the different angles. Make the correct call....Dan Dembinski, the replay official for the Florida-MSU game, had access to the same video and still shots that were shown on ESPN....The still photo tells the story, in this particular case...If this isn't enough evidence to overturn a bad call, then what is the point of having a replay review in the first place?

- Here's an idea that was being discussed on my favorite message board...Why not put cameras on the goal line for every game? This would solve the problem of questionable replay angles.

- Mississippi State also fell victim to the replay official in the Houston game...Not surprisingly, it was a an SEC guy in the booth.

- Look at the blocked field goal at the end of the Alabama-Tennessee game...A player clearly removed his helmet before the play was over, which is supposed to be an automatic penalty. Guess what? No penalty against Alabama. Wiith the officials so eager to call those non existent celebration penalties this season, how could they pass up a chance to call a LEGITIMATE penalty?

- I don't like Lane Kiffin the least bit, but I find truth and humor in one thing he said about Saturday's game. When asked why he didn't run one more play before lining up for the field goal, Kiffin responded that he didn't want to give the refs a chance to throw a flag and back his team up.

- While listening to The Sports Drive, I learned that Tennessee was the second LEAST penalized team in the country going into the Alabama game...When the dust settled on this one, the Vols had nine penalties. Bama had one...It's very hard to play an entire game with only one penalty, especially when you're as physical and aggressive as the Tide.

- Don't confuse any of my remarks as a rant against Alabama. While I dislike Saban and his program, I was actually pulling for them to remain unbeaten. I want MSU to have another shot at knocking off a top team when Bama comes to Starkville...Whether the Dawgs win or lose, I always welcome the opportunity to make headlines.

- I fully support Dan Mullen, Bobby Petrino and any other coach who speaks out against these ridiculous calls and sticks up for their players.

- Do you think it's a coincidence that the worst calls this year have all benefited the highly ranked teams?

- SEC Commissioner Mike Slive is a pitiful excuse for authority.