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Since Miles won't say anything, I will. This is beyond bad officiating. It's so undeniably awful, I'm beginning to believe conspiracy nuts who claim the SEC is protecting its heavyweight teams (Florida and Alabama) since, you know, every poor call in the last month has involved, uh, Florida and Alabama.

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It was that close, that wonderful and that great, except for one thing: How, exactly, do you paint a conspiracy theory? That's what they'll be screaming from here to Fayetteville and back in the SEC. Did LSU corner Patrick Peterson come down inbounds with an interception of a McElroy pass with 5:54 left in the game?

Early returns say he did, despite a ruling on the field that the pass was incomplete and backed up by the video replay booth. From this viewpoint, supported by sideline witnesses and seemingly by replays, Peterson's left foot was in and Peterson himself says both feet. CBS television kept showing a divot inbounds that looked like it was created when the sophomore cornerback landed. If that's the case, you have to wonder how it can happen again. The SEC -- Suspend Everybody Conference -- has another flaming bag of poo on its porch.

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Instead, I have to write about the SEC officials. Again.

Because when officials went to the video with 5:54 remaining in Alabama's 24-15 win to determine whether Peterson intercepted McElroy along the right sideline, the replay official didn't see what most impartial eyes watching at home saw: Peterson got his left foot down with possession. He may have even gotten his right foot down. Officials on the field ruled Patterson caught the ball out of bounds. After a few minutes, replay official Gerald Hodges upheld that call, even though numerous replays shown on the CBS telecast seemed to show Peterson getting that left foot down with possession. Later, LSU players would say Peterson's left shoe left an obvious gash in the grass. (After interviews, I even took a photo of said gash.)

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The referees disagreed. The replay official, Gerald Hodges, concurred despite what looked to most, including the CBS broadcast crew, that Peterson had made the pick.

Regardless of dissent, Alabama kept possession of the ball and went in for a game-clinching field goal. With the 24-15 victory, the Tide improved to 9-0 and kept their SEC and BCS title hopes alive.

And so, the latest episode of “This Week in SEC Officiating Controversies” began.

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Dear Commissioner Mike Slive,

I know this has been a rough month for you. What with everyone suggesting that the SEC officials want to see Florida and Alabama in the SEC championship game no matter what the actual game results might be. Furthermore, I know that generally speaking the SEC's issue has been with judgment calls, celebration penalties on A.J. Green, personal fouls on some Arkansas defensive players -- it's okay, no one knows anyone's name that plays for Arkansas other than Ryan Mallet, it will be our secret -- missed calls in favor of Florida against Mississippi State, allowing Terrence Cody, the largest man on earth who still resembles a girl, to play without his helmet on. But this latest move, ignoring a clear interception by LSU's Patrick Peterson, has me steaming mad. What's the point of instant replay if you're going to use it and still get the play wrong?

That's why I'm making you an offer, I will work as instant replay reviewer for any televised SEC game.

For free.

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If these story lines sound familiar — fines, officiating concerns and quotes from unhappy coaches — it would be because they are a lot of the same issues the N.F.L. faces. The biggest difference, however, is that at the end of the N.F.L. season, the top teams are usually left to play each other, returning the focus to the field.

This week, we can talk about whether Louisiana State defensive back Patrick Peterson needed to have three feet inbounds, instead of the two he appeared to have, in order for his interception against Alabama to count. Or whether L.S.U. Coach Les Miles will be fined for his comments about the bad call.

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From phantom celebration calls to questionable pass interference penalties to a touchdown return that wasn't to a non-interception interception just yesterday, the criticism of SEC officiating is at an all-time high and seemingly dominates the discussion on a weekly basis.

It would seem that something needs to be done about the level of officiating in the conference at season's end. To at least one high-level observer, though, that is far from the case.

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Clearly an interception, right? See video here LINK

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The first bad spot on the Jefferson run was very, very questionable... and the Peterson pick was one of the worst replayed calls in the history of organized football.

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5-yard penalty becoming a 6-yard penalty...

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Y'all are looking at where the center is holding the ball after he has positioned it in his hand and is ready to snap it(the fifity). Look across the field and you will see where the 4th down marker is actually located on the sideline. The ball was not on the 50.

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