Why Oklahoma's Controversial Missed Field Goal vs. Alabama Couldn't Be Reviewed

What started as a 17-0 lead for No. 8 Oklahoma in the Sooners’ first-round College Football Playoff matchup turned into 27 unanswered points for No. 9 Alabama heading into the fourth quarter.

Oklahoma scored a touchdown at the start of the final frame to trim the Crimson Tide’s lead to a field goal, but Alabama answered with a score of its own to grow the lead back to two possessions. The Sooners got the ball back with under five minutes to play and got to the red zone, which set up Lou Groza Award-winning kicker Tate Sandell for a 36-yard field goal try.

Sandell’s kick sailed over the left upright as it may have hooked just outside the post. Officials called the attempt no good. Even ESPN play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler thought the kick was good, which would have cut Alabama’s lead to a touchdown with just under three minutes left.

The crucial kick was Sandell’s first field-goal miss since his first attempt of the season, snapping his streak of 24 straight field goal makes.

Why couldn’t Oklahoma’s missed field goal get reviewed?

Rules analyst Bill LeMonnier broke the close call down, mentioning that if the ball goes over the upright, like in this case, the initial call is not reviewable. If it’s lower than the upright, the play can be reviewed.

For a kick above the upright to get called good, the whole ball must be fully inside the upright if it was extended. Scoring plays are reviewable, but for field goals, attempts are reviewable if and only if the ball is ruled (a) below or above the crossbar or (b) inside or outside the uprights when it is lower than the top of the uprights. If the ball is higher than the top of the uprights as it crosses the end line, the play may not be reviewed per the NCAA’s instant replay rule book.

After the controversial miss, Oklahoma got the ball back with just under two minutes left and the trusted kicker got another try at a 51-yard field goal (he made one earlier in the first quarter) to get the lead down to one possession, but the ball fell short on a windy night in Norman, Okla.

The Tide prevailed 34-24 to advance in the CFP. They will take on No. 1 seed Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

More College Football on Sports Illustrated

Listen to Cheap Rs-flyfishing Jordan Outlet’s new college sports podcast, December 20, 2025, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on Cheap Rs-flyfishing Jordan Outlet’s YouTube channel.