Referee Madness: 3 Jaw-Dropping Mistakes That Torched Texas-Texas A&M Rivalry Game

The intense rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M has often brought out the best in both teams. However, in their most recent matchup, it was the officials who proved to be the most polarizing figures on the field. Despite their best efforts to remain neutral, the referees couldn't seem to make either side happy, and a series of blown calls sparked major controversy throughout the game.

From the opening kickoff, it was clear that the officiating crew was in for a long day. A misjudged holding call on the Texas A&M kickoff return unit set the tone for a series of questionable decisions that would pepper the rest of the contest. As the game wore on, both teams grew increasingly frustrated with the calls - and non-calls - that were being made on the field.

One of the most egregious mistakes came in the second quarter, when a Texas receiver was ruled to have been pushed out of bounds on a crucial third-down play. Replays clearly showed that the receiver had managed to stay inbounds, and the Texas A&M defense had been beaten to the spot. However, the call on the field stood, and the Longhorns were forced to punt the ball away.

The Texas A&M fans were incensed, and things only got worse from there. A roughing-the-passer call on a Texas A&M defender was widely disputed, with the ESPN broadcast crew going so far as to call the flag "one of the worst calls of the season." Despite their protests, the Aggies were forced to punt from deep within their own territory.

As the game neared its conclusion, the tension between the teams and the officiating crew continued to build. A late-hit penalty on a Texas defender seemed to be the culmination of a long day of frustration for the Longhorns, and tempers began to fray on both sidelines.

When the dust finally settled, Texas A&M emerged with a narrow victory, but the true story of the game would be the officiating crew that couldn't seem to get it right. The rivalry between the two schools is notorious for being one of the fiercest in college football, and games like this only serve to further fuel the fire. Despite the controversy, both teams will have to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and get ready to do it all again next week.