Coach Urban Meyer had a succinct explanation for senior kicker Jonathan Phillips' blocked extra point in the fourth quarter on Saturday.
"It's illegal to hurdle a player on a field goal," Meyer said. "I grabbed (the referee) on my sideline early in the game and said, 'Listen, they're doing this.' He made a comment, 'He went through the gap.' With the way we teach field-goal protection, there should be no gaps."
Meyer and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen admitted they would have to watch film of the game to see if Mississippi players were actually doing the illegal act, but what they believed they witnessed should've been penalized.
"It looked like they hurdled the protection," Meyer said. "We'll find out if that's what happened, and let them know it's against NCAA rules. I don't think the kick was low."
Upon further review, there was some penetration by Mississippi's players.
"One guy hurdled, one guy went through the line," Meyer said during Sunday's teleconference. "But we did not protect it well."
Phillips entered Saturday's game a perfect 4 for 4 on field goals. Now, he's still perfect after hitting a 32-yarder. But the extra-point section is no longer flawless.
"It looked like they leaped over somebody on the line and got a hand on it," Mullen said. "I'm really not sure (what happened)."
According to some players, the kick, blocked by Mississippi sophomore defensive end Kentrell Lockett, wasn't a big deal.
"It didn't deflate us," cornerback Joe Haden said. "We weren't going to tie. We were going to win. We just wanted to get the ball back to the offense. We weren't worried about that."
They probably wish they had worried more now.
