An iffy taunting call on Penn State cornerback Elliot Washington II gave No. 4 Ohio State a free first down and, subsequently, the lead in the Buckeyes’ win on Saturday.
Washington tackled Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate after Tate slipped to the ground on third down. Tate was well short of the first down and the stop was going to set up an Ohio State punt. However, Washington was immediately flagged for taunting because he looked down and stepped over Tate as he was getting up.
Here’s how it unfolded. You can see how quickly the official right next to the play threw the flag. Did he hear Washington say something?
The NCAA rules against taunting are very broad and simply stepping over an opponent in this manner is not directly addressed. At best, it’s an extremely weak penalty and you can make a strong case for why it shouldn’t have been called in the first place. Especially in a game of this magnitude.
Per the rulebook, a player can be flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for “taunting, baiting or ridiculing an opponent verbally,” a delayed, excessive or choreographed act and even “bowing at the waist after a good play.” While the symbolism of stepping over an opponent you’ve tackled is obvious, it’s also not explicitly listed as an action worthy of a personal foul by itself.
Ohio State scored four plays later when Will Howard hit Brandon Inniss for a 21-yard TD and a 14-10 lead. It was the second straight TD the Buckeyes had scored after No. 3 Penn State took a 10-0 lead thanks to a pick-6 by cornerback Zion Tracy. After the interception, Ohio State outscored Penn State 20-3 on the way to a 20-13 win after a goal-line stand with 5:13 to go.
