TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher will likely be receiving a call from the Atlantic Coast Conference after he blasted the officiating crew after his 12th-ranked Seminoles lost 37-34 to Clemson on Saturday.
Fisher was livid over three fourth-quarter calls — a chop block on Freddie Stevenson that negated a long run by Dalvin Cook, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the bench and a targeting penalty that led to the ejection of safety Tre Marshall.
“It was ridiculous. It was not a chop. I will tell you what, you hold coaches accountable, you hold players accountable, hold the damn officials accountable,” Fisher said. “It is garbage and then to call another penalty on the sideline is even more garbage. It’s cowardly, gutless and wrong. They can fine it or do whatever they want to do with it.
“That is a fact, look at the film. It is ridiculous that they do that. That was a huge call in the game. We still had chances in the game to win after that, but it is ridiculous.”
Fisher also wasn’t happy when he thought Carlos Watkins should have been called for targeting on a play that knocked out quarterback Deondre Francois for one play. Instead it wasn’t called.
Earlier this month Washington State coach Mike Leach was fined $10,000 and reprimanded by the Pac 12 Conference for remarks critical of officiating.
Since Marshall was ejected in the fourth quarter, he will miss the first half of FSU’s game next Saturday at North Carolina State.
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