Auburn coach Hugh Freeze expressed his frustration on the sideline during Oklahoma’s ‘fake substitute’ play in their 24-17 victory. The SEC confirmed the officiating crew missed a rule violation regarding deceptive substitutions. This oversight occurred early in the second quarter when Sategna jogged toward the sidelines but remained in play, confusing the Auburn defense and allowing a touchdown.

“No simulated replacements or substitutions may be used to confuse opponents,” the NCAA rule states.

Translation: No deceptive tactics should be used during substitutions to mislead the opposing team.

The score gave Oklahoma the lead at 10-3, a difference that later proved costly for Auburn. The SEC acknowledged the mistake, stating that proper officiating should have penalized Oklahoma 15 yards. Although the game was intense, that misstep was just one of numerous penalties called during the match, leading to significant yardage losses for both teams. Despite his frustration, Freeze refrained from making further comments to avoid penalties from the league.