It's officially college football season — there's been a controversial ejection.
Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter was tossed after being California Baptist Lan Notre Dame vs. USC Rivalry Gear cers shirt flagged for a debatable targeting penalty against Purdue on Thursday night
Officials stopped play for review on Purdue's third drive of the game. Boilermakers quarterback Aidan O'Connell' Conference USA Gear clothes s pass to Tyrone Tracy fell incomplete, but Carter, perhaps thinking the ball was still live, dived into Tracy, hitting him high.
Following a review, officials ruled that Carter had targeted a defenseless player by hitting him in the Arizona Wildcats Jerseys head and neck area. While those individual elements are true, it appears Carter led with Notre Dame vs. USC Rivalry Jerseys his shoulder and only made incidental helmet-to-helmet contact.
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Fox broadcasters Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt bemoaned the call, saying officials needed to look at context — namely, that Carter appeared to be going for the ball, not attempting to tackle Tracy. It's also worth noting that no officials whistled the play dead until after Carter's hit.
Regardless, Carter Florida vs. Georgia Rivalry shirt 's penalty and ensuing ejection gave Purdue a fresh set of downs at its 40-yard-line as opposed to a second-and-10 at its 25. Nine WVU vs. Pitt Rivalry Jerseys plays later, King Doerue gave Purdue a 10-7 lead with a 3-yard touchdown run.
Twitter, naturally, despised the call.
Carter will sit out the remainder of Thursday's game. He will be eligible to return to act Antelope Valley College Jerseys ion for the Nittany Lions' next game, Sept. 10 vs. Ohi Abilene Christian University Wildcats Jerseys o University.
Love it or hate it — hate it, most likely — the targeting rule and all the debate it creates are part of college football.
