Joel Klatt Faces Backlash for Complaining About Refs in Ohio State Loss to Oregon

Ohio State Buckeyes fans are upset that the referees blew a crucial call against them in their loss to the Oregon Ducks on Saturday night.

With 26 seconds left, trailing 32-31 with the ball in field goal range, Ohio State freshman WR Jeremiah Smith was called for an offensive pass interference, pushing the Buckeyes out of field goal range. Ohio State would go on to lose the game a few plays later, but after the contest, head coach Ryan Day and a large portion of the fanbase complained about the ticky-tack call.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt joined in on the complaints, saying on his podcast Monday that it was a "poor call" that ended up costing the Buckeyes the game.

Since then, Klatt has been facing a lot of backlash on social media, with many fans using screen grabs to show that his claim that Smith "didn't extend his arms" and push off was incredibly inaccurate.

Oregon fans have been quick to point out the numerous times when they had serious gripes against the officials, most notably on the first drive of the game. With Ohio State taking a deep shot over the middle, Ducks' linebacker Jeffrey Bassa appeared to come up with an interception while rolling over the Ohio State tight end, and Oregon celebrated the turnover. Meanwhile, the refs called it a complete pass to Ohio State, and the Buckeyes raced up to the ball and got a snap off without the officials stopping the play for a review.

Ultimately, complaining about a call days later won't do much but open a door for fans to ridicule you. At this point in his career, Klatt definitely has learned that.

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