SEC confirms Tennessee's onside kick was incorrectly officiated

The Southeastern Conference issued a statement on September 28, 2026, regarding an onside kick by Tennessee during their game against Texas. The kick, which occurred with 1:22 left in the fourth quarter, was deemed incorrectly officiated, triggering a five-yard penalty and replay of the down. Tennessee lost the game to Texas 20-17 at Neyland Stadium. The SEC clarified that a drop kick must be executed from the kicking team's restraining line, and the ball was struck from a position behind that line. They also noted a violation occurred as the kicker changed position before the ball was ready, leading to the ruling error. The SEC expressed regret over the oversight and will work on improving officiating consistency.

• 4:11 PMYahoo Sports — SEC releases statement on Tennessee-Texas onside kick