Targeting call overturned on hard hit to Marvin Harrison Jr. | College Football Playoff

Targeting is initially called on Georgia’s Javon Bullard for a hard hit in the back of the end zone on Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., but is overturned after review.

[ego]

Lmao there is absolutely no consistency with these calls.

[gregj]

This is exactly why marquee players have been opting out of these bowls. That hit also, most likely turned the game to Georgia's favor because prior to it, Harrison was really ripping them up. I've never before seen a team duck so many death blows as Georgia did last night. Does anybody have an injury update on Marvin or Cade?

[glenjoke]

Even the announcers are inconsistent with these calls

[adamvanhart]

I am not sure why this wasn't just reduced to a personal foul. He aims high and makes contact to his head. A receiver is defenseless when they are in the process of catching the ball. The DB can hit him but not in the head. Why is it targeting or nothing?

[Irishhaf]

Launched and made forcible contact to the head/neck area this was way more targeting than the one in the michigan/tcu game.

[CarlaJenkinsTV]

That was a bogus play compromising player safety. Those refs helped UGA and everyone saw that.

[gregtimmerii]

If that wasn’t targeting, he definitely hit him in the head area and he was defenseless as he was just looking for the ball, unlike the defensive back who was just head hunting. Cheap shot, if they didn’t knock Harrison out, we all know who won that game, really really

[joeseppy]

I’m just saying, if it was the other way around, the OSU player is ejected.

[pixelnetd]

You can literally hear the crack of their helmets hitting at 1:16. Completely changed the game unfortunately.

Defender launched his body (see his feet off the ground), made contact with the crown of his helmet to Harrison Jr’s helmet and wasn’t trying to play the ball at all. An obvious attempt at headhunting.

[mikemike]

Can anyone argue against defenseless WR and aiming for head or neck of the WR?

Sure their is no crown, which only removes ejection. But that is clearly 1st and goal.

Harrison is done for the game but it isn’t targeting? No reports. No coverage. Commercial break. Strange.

[scott]

He ran across the field, left off his feet, and made helmet to helmet contact on a defenseless WR. If it isn't targeting, what is? Then they should have let the play on the field stand. The review system should be used to only to reverse calls on the field when the evidence clearly shows that a bad call was made. Instead it just adds bias to the game. It also puts other players on the field in danger because a lot of teams would have responded by taking out GA's QB.

[DavetheARCTrooper]

Idk how anyone can reverse this hit on a defenseless receiver when there is head down helmet to helmet. OSU was robbed

[A.I.P]

That was a clean hit! Not targeting! So therefore, it was shoulder to shoulder!

[kingjones]

When it comes to these call on targeting or helmet to helmet they just keep moving the goal post can't help but think if this was uga in they hometown bowl it would been targeting

[chris_farley]

Dirtiest hit I've saw all year. 10/10 times that's called targeting in any other game in the country. Refs did everything they could to keep GA in it. Unreal.

[vinp]

Notice also that there is not a clear replay showing those two helmets do not hit. There really isn't a clear angle, and it was ruled a target on the field.

[johnr]

Can anyone tell me why this want at least unnecessary roughness or pass interference. I am a Georgia fan and I still don't agree with the hit. I don't think it was targeting, but it definitely did not look legal.

[DuecePiece]

Good ol' PAID OFF officials citing with the SEC again, never fails. This is the definition of targeting.

[JBTG]

If the hit wasn't to the head/neck area, how did he get a could this call be reversed?

[destinlacquement]

I’m not a fan of targeting, but this play is the exact reason targeting was created. The defender turned himself into a torpedo and went high on the wide receiver. What is the point of having the rule if you are going to overturn something like this. Furthermore, the reason it wasn’t helmet to helmet is because Harrison jr realizes a human torpedo is inbound and turns his shoulders to prevent himself from turning to Ryan Shazier.