re: Analysis on Alabama and Tom Ritter

The most suspicious thing from the game was the two flags that the officials picked up early in the game. There was the pass interference called on Alabama that the officials picked up. I personally don't think that there was blatant interference, but still, that flag does not get picked up ever unless the refs discuss it and rule that the ball was either uncatchable or that it was tipped at the line of scrimmage -- neither was the case on this play.

Later in the game, Bama got flagged for illegal formation. Danielson diagnosed it before the flag was even thrown. The refs got together, then CBS showed Saban talking to them, then Ritter walked away. Before Ritter announced that the flag for illegal formation was going to be picked up, it appears he's talking into his mic to someone (but I don't think he has a headset on the field). Regardless, they never showed the replay to see if the formation was legal, CBS just took the officials' word for it and went on with the game despite Bama looking confused pre-snap and Danielson saying that there was an illegal formation even as the ball was being snapped. Maybe Ritter and company got it right by disregarding the flag, I don't know. These two instances were mighty suspicious, nonetheless.

LSU aren't the only fans seeing this kind of stuff. Mike Pereira, former VP of officiating of the NFL, called into question similar plays in the Alabama-Tennessee game and Auburn-Mississippi State game. Pereira's piece can be found here.