:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58150407/864818476.jpg.0.jpg)
Northwestern linebacker Paddy Fisher was ejected from the Music City Bowl after being flagged for targeting late in the second quarter.
Fisher led with his helmet, but hit the ballcarrier in the chest as he was landing from a jump. Here is the play:
This was the targeting call. #Pac12Refs pic.twitter.com/aVRv4WIfrk
— Dr. Saturday (@YahooDrSaturday) December 29, 2017
Pat Fitzgerald wasn’t thrilled.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. How are we supposed to play football if that’s targeting?” - (what I think is very good lip reading of) Pat Fitzgerald
— Jacob Tamme (@JacobTamme) December 29, 2017
Pat Fitzgerald on the explanation he got on the targeting call on Paddy Fisher to @AdamHoge "Doesn't matter. It might be the worst call I have ever seen in the history of college football" @WGNRadio
— Mark Carman (@thecarm) December 29, 2017
This was just the latest wacky event in a game that has been absolutely insane. Clayton Thorson and Bennett Skowronek are out for the game with injuries, Kentucky QB Stephen Johnson missed the rest of the first half after getting hurt, and the Pac-12 officiating crew had one of the worst halves of football for any group of refs in recent memory.
First Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. was ejected for refusing a ref’s help up from the ground. Then Kentucky picked up a weird unsportsmanlike penalty on the play that injured Johnson. The Fisher ejection was just the latest event.
Fisher was also ejected from the Penn State game for targeting back in October, forcing him to miss the first half against Maryland.
Northwestern, amidst all the chaos, is up 17-7 at halftime.