Ranking 10 worst officiating calls of 2025 college football season

by: Pete Nakos 8 hours ago PeteNakos_

Coaches have been outspoken about missed penalties and controversial calls through the first nine weeks of the college football season. With conference-based officiating, scrutiny has ramped up this season.

On3 asked college football fans on  X  to share their opinions and examples on the worst officiating calls of the 2025 season. We received over 400 comments and ranked the 10 worst calls to date this college football season, focusing specifically on decisions that impacted the outcome of games.

10. Washington called for roughing the passer

Midway of the third quarter, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin dropped back to pass on a 2nd-and-12 play. Washington’s Ta’ita’i Uiagalelei ran into Sayin moments after the quarterback threw the ball away, as Sayin stayed upright when taking the hot.

Officials ruled it roughing the passer. A sack would have made it 3rd-and-20 and pushed Ohio State out of field goal range. Instead the Buckeyes were given a first down and later on the drive took a 14-3 lead.

“Oh boy,” CBS play-by-play broadcaster Brad Nessler said on the broadcast.

Washington head coach Jedd Fisch weighed in after the game.

“Um, they called roughing the passer,” he said. And when asked if he’d teach Uiagalelei to do anything different, Fisch said, “No.”

Washington was called for roughing the passer on this Sayin dropback.

Agree with the call? pic.twitter.com/CK2DPthe2o

— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) September 27, 2025

9. Bowling Green trick play illegal formation

On a trick play with 7:19 to play in the fourth quarter, Bowling Green called up a trick play that went for a touchdown and tied the game with Toledo. Sources have told On3 that the Mid-American Conference later admitted to Toledo it should have been an illegal formation as the tight end was covered up.

Sources also told On3 that the game was played with one less official, because a referee was injured pregame. Bowling Green went on to win 28-23.

8. Georgia Tech offsides not called

In the last couple of minutes of regulation, a Georgia Tech defensive player appeared to be across the line of scrimmage at the time of a snap. Wake Forest quarterback  Robby Ashford  threw a deep pass that was incomplete. Upon seeing no flag for the offside player, Ashford — along with coaches on Wake’s sideline — was incensed that a penalty wasn’t called.

An ACC spokesperson confirmed to Deacons Illustrated that a Georgia Tech defender should have been penalized for being offside at the snap. That occurred on a third-and-5 barely inside the 2-minute timeout. Georgia Tech used its final timeout after the previous play.

A 5-yard penalty in that spot would’ve given Wake Forest the chance to kneel three times and win, 23-20. Instead, Wake Forest punted back to GT. The Yellow Jackets drove 54 yards and  Aidan Birr’s  33-yard field goal tied the game with two seconds left, going on to win 30-29 in overtime.

Wow. This is an inexcusable missed offsides call. Would have been a first down, probably ended game with a Wake Forest win. QB throws it deep because he thinks he has a free play, stops clock too. pic.twitter.com/U0WTBXDPWp

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 27, 2025

7. Oregon fumble overturned at Penn state

In the third quarter of the Penn State White Out game, Oregon started to piece together a drive. Quarterback Dante Moore led the Ducks to the Penn State 9-yard line, where Nittany Lions EDGE Chaz Coleman punched the ball out of running back Noah Whittington’s hands. Penn State safety Zakee Wehatley recovered the fumble and returned it to midfield.

Officials ruled it a fumble, but the call was overturned after replay. The decision to overturn impacted the game, as the Ducks went up 10-3 on the next play when Moore threw an 8-yard touchdown pass.

“I didn’t see enough to overturn the call on the field,” Penn State coach James Franklin said.

:NBC pic.twitter.com/62yfJoeORR

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 28, 2025

6. Vanderbilt called for targeting on LaNorris Sellers

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers went down after taking a high hit from Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson on a pass in the final two minutes of the second quarter and went to the locker room. Patterson was ejected from the game for targeting on the play.

Sellers exited the game and was in concussion protocl after the game. He has since returned and did not miss a game. The call for targeting on the play was called into question, however, as Patterson did not lead with his helmet on the play.

LaNorris Sellers had to be helped off the field after this hit.

The defender was called for targeting and ejected from the game. pic.twitter.com/obHOp93MIN

— ESPN (@espn) September 14, 2025

5. Kwazi Gilmer called for ghost block in back

Early in the fourth quarter against Maryland earlier this month, UCLA ran a simple run play, handing the ball off to running back Jalen Berger . As he made a cut to the outside, he made a Terrapin defender fall down. UCLA wide reciever Kwazi Gilmer was near the defender and called for a block in the back, resulting in a 10-yard penalty.

On replay, Gilmer clearly did come in contact with a Maryland player on the play.

UCLA’s Kwazi Gilmer (#3) is called for a block in the back here despite literally never even touching the defender pic.twitter.com/QcilarPLv0

— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) October 19, 2025

4. Virginia Tech called for roughing the passer

With Virginia Tech nursing a 27-20 lead with under three minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele faked a handoff and dropped back to pass. As he looked for an open wide receiver, Virginia Tech defensive linemen Aycen Stevens and Ben Bell tackled Sagapolutele for a sack.

But Virginia Tech was called for roughing the passer on the play while Sagapolutele was still holding onto the ball. The penalty moved the ball to th Virginia Tech 2-yard line and on the next play, Cal scored a touchdown. Virginia Tech went on to win 42-34 in double overtime.

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