SEC calls out refs for missing OU’s ‘hideout tactic’
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Eli Lederman
An SEC officiating crew failed to identify a “hideout tactic” on Oklahoma‘s second-quarter touchdown in the 11th-ranked Sooners’ Week 4 win over No. 22 Auburn, the conference announced in a statement late Saturday night.
Oklahoma led 10-3 after quarterback John Mateer connected with Isaiah Sategna for a 24-yard touchdown with 10:45 remaining in the first half on Saturday. Before the snap, Sategna had walked toward the Sooners’ sideline appearing to feign a substitution, but he remained on the field before streaking down the sideline through the Tigers’ secondary undetected for the scoring reception.
Oklahoma went on to beat Auburn 24-17 after Mateer’s go-ahead rushing touchdown with 4:54 left in the game.
Hours later, the SEC announced that its officiating crew “did not properly interpret the action as a hideout tactic” and said the Sooners should have been assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that would have wiped out Sategna’s touchdown.
“If properly officiated, the second down play should have resulted in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of 15 yards assessed from the previous spot,” the statement read. “Appropriate accountability will be applied without additional comment.”
The statement referred to NCAA football rule G-2, Article 2, related to “unfair tactics.”
“No simulated replacements or substitutions may be used to confuse opponents,” the rule states. “No tactic associated with substitutions or the substitutions process may be used to confuse the opponent. This includes any hideout tactic with or without a substitution.”
Following the game, Oklahoma offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle referred to the call as a “tempo play.” Sooners coach Brent Venables similarly knocked down the suggestion that it had been a case of deception, claiming that Oklahoma confirmed with an official that Sategna was lined up and that “everything’s good and legal.”
However, Auburn coach Hugh Freeze made his feelings clear afterward. The Tigers’ sideline appeared to notice Sategna’s pre-snap movement, and Freeze said he attempted to call a timeout before the ball was snapped while noting that warnings against using such tactics had been clearly emphasized before the season.
“They said they didn’t hear us trying to call timeout,” Freeze said. “We were instructed all offseason about deception plays and things. So, we’ll see what’s said. I really don’t know what will be said about that.”
Shortly after, the SEC released a rare statement criticizing its own officials and promising further accountability. The move marked at least the second high-profile officiating issue over the opening month of the 2025 regular season after the Big 12 reprimanded one of its officiating crews for failing to identify a rules violation in Missouri‘s 42-31 win over Kansas on Sept. 9.
The latest AP poll is out.
With some enormous matchups next week, Week 4 was light on ranked matchups. The Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies were off this week.
The Oklahoma Sooners, now ranked No. 7, opened their SEC schedule with a 24-17 win over the Auburn Tigers. The Sooners’ defense was outstanding, finishing with 10 sacks and holding the Tigers to just 67 yards rushing.
In the Big 12, the now-No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders pounded the Utah Utes to stake an early claim as the best team in the conference. Texas Tech backup QB Will Hammond was exceptional while filling in for an injured Behren Morton. Hammond went 13-of-16 passing and had 230 total yards and two scores in the 34-10 win.
The week’s only other ranked matchup was the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers crushing the then-No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini. In the win, QB Fernando Mendoza became the first Indiana player with at least four passing touchdowns in three straight games.
What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern
Previous ranking: 1
2025 record: 3-0
Week 4 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday at Washington
Previous ranking: 4
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Florida 26-7
Stat to know: Miami had both more rushing yards and passing yards than Florida had total yards.
What’s next: Oct. 4 at Florida State
Previous ranking: 2
2025 record: 3-0
Week 4 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 3
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Southeastern Louisiana 56-10
Stat to know: LSU has held all four of its opponents this season to 10 points or fewer, its longest such streak to start a season since 2006.
What’s next: Saturday at Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 5
2025 record: 3-0
Week 4 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Alabama, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 6
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Oregon State 41-7
Stat to know: Oregon has had consecutive wins by at least 30 points against Oregon State for the third time in series history (2018-19, 1898-99).
What’s next: Saturday at Penn State, 7:30 p.m., NBC
Previous ranking: 11
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Auburn 24-17
Stat to know: OU sacked Auburn QB Jackson Arnold 10 times, the most in a game in program history.
What’s next: Oct. 4 vs. Kent State, 4 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 7
2025 record: 3-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Kent State 66-10
Stat to know: FSU had eight rushing touchdowns against Kent State. The Seminoles had eight rushing scores in 2024.
What’s next: Friday at Virginia, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 10
2025 record: 3-0
Week 4 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Auburn, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 8
2025 record: 3-1
Week 4 result: Defeated Sam Houston 55-0
Stat to know: The 55-point win was Texas’ largest margin of victory since its 58-0 win over Rice in 2021.
What’s next: Oct. 4 at Florida
Previous ranking: 19
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Illinois 63-10
Stat to know: Indiana’s 63 points against Illinois was its most ever against a ranked opponent.
What’s next: Saturday at Iowa, 3:30 p.m., Peacock
Previous ranking: 17
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Utah 34-10
Stat to know: This was Texas Tech’s first win as a ranked team since 2008, and the Red Raiders have started the season 4-0 for the first time since 2013.
What’s next: Oct. 4 at Houston
Previous ranking: 13
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Tulane 45-10
Stat to know: Trinidad Chambliss, who had 307 yards passing and 112 yards rushing against Tulane, became the fourth player in school history with 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a game, joining Archie Manning, Chad Kelly and Jordan Ta’amu.
What’s next: Saturday vs. LSU, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 12
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday vs. Arizona, 7 p.m., ESPN
Previous ranking: 15
2025 record: 3-1
Week 4 result: Defeated UAB 56-24
Stat to know: Joey Aguilar, who had 218 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, has had at least 200 passing yards in all 28 of his career starts, the longest active streak in the FBS.
What’s next: Saturday at Mississippi State, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 18
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Temple 45-24
Stat to know: This is Georgia Tech’s first 4-0 start to a season since 2014.
What’s next: Saturday at Wake Forest, noon, ESPN
Previous ranking: 14
2025 record: 2-1
Week 4 result: Idle
What’s next: Saturday at Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC
Previous ranking: 20
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Georgia State 70-21
Stat to know: This is Vanderbilt’s first 4-0 start since 2018.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Utah State, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network
Previous ranking: 21
2025 record: 3-1
Week 4 result: Defeated Nebraska 30-27
Stat to know: Justice Haynes, who rushed for 149 yards and a score against Nebraska, is the first Michigan player in the past 30 seasons with a rushing score in each of his first four games.
What’s next: Oct. 4 vs. Wisconsin
Previous ranking: 23
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated South Carolina 29-20
Stat to know: Missouri held South Carolina to minus-9 rushing yards, the fewest it has allowed since 2009 when it held Colorado to minus-14 rushing yards.
What’s next: Saturday vs. UMass, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
Previous ranking: 25
2025 record: 4-0
Week 4 result: Defeated Michigan State 45-31
Stat to know: USC has scored 210 points through four games, the fourth-highest total in program history.
What’s next: Saturday vs. Michigan State, 11 p.m., Fox
Previous ranking: 24
2025 record: 1-2
Week 4 result: Defeated Purdue 56-30
Stat to know: Notre Dame has scored 122 points in its past two games against Purdue. That’s the most over a two-game span against a single opponent in the AP poll era (since 1936).
What’s next: Saturday at Arkansas, noon, ABC
Previous ranking: 9
2025 record: 3-1
Week 4 result: Lost to Indiana 63-10
Stat to know: The loss to Indiana was its worst-ever loss as an AP-ranked team.
What’s next: Saturday vs. USC
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 3-0
Week 4 result: Defeated SMU 35-24
Stat to know: Against SMU, wide receiver Eric McAlister became the second player in school history to record 250 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in a game.
What’s next: Friday at Arizona State, 9 p.m., Fox
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 3-0
Week 4 result: Defeated East Carolina 34-13
Stat to know: BYU has allowed 16 total points through the first three games of the season, its fewest since 1948.
What’s next: Saturday at Colorado, 10 p.m., ESPN
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