Almost every week in college football there's a controversial targeting call, but what happened Saturday in the Florida State and N.C. State game may be the most strange one yet.
Typically on a targeting call, a player will make a dangerous tackle on the person with the ball by leading with his helmet. If the defender looks like he's purposely trying to make a dangerous play, or ends up hitting the other player's head, he's typically ejected.
But FSU's Jacob Pugh didn't do what you typically see in a targeting call. Instead of tackling, he simply put his arms up to block a pass attempt, and his hand inadvertently made contact with the N.C. State receiver on the trick play.
FSU's Jacob Pugh was ejected from the game after this was called "targeting." pic.twitter.com/Yegq7W0gDB
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) September 23, 2017
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The refs initially ruled the play targeting, and stayed with the ruling after replay.
College football fans couldn't believe it.
Jacob Pugh is ejected for what the refs are calling "targeting." I'm pretty sure the refs are completely confused on what targeting is. #FSU
— Jordan Culver (@JordanCulver) September 23, 2017
We have a new "worst targeting call of the year"
— Phil Murphy (@Phil_Sports) September 23, 2017
Florida State senior Jacob Pugh ejected for trying to block a WR pass. Unconscionable
That might be the worst targeting call I have ever seen. And there have been a billion bad ones.
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) September 23, 2017
The Targeting foul in the #FSUvsNCSU game was ridiculous...This rule is garbage...Need Targeting 1-2...Ejection not needed on 1
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) September 23, 2017
