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Eli Drinkwitz’s frustration was clear, even if he would not flat-out say it when it came to the refs in his Missouri team’s loss to Arch Manning and Texas.
The Tigers coach was asked if the officials handled things correctly during a bizarre situation that turned the game in the third quarter with Missouri leading by a touchdown in an eventual 34-20 home defeat on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.
Missouri linebacker Brian Huff hit Manning’s throwing hand as the QB attempted a pass on third-and-10. The ball sailed about 12 yards in the air before landing. The Texas defense treated it like an incomplete after a confusing signal from an official.
Nov. 7, 2026 in Columbia, Mo. AP Photo/LG Patterson
It, however, was ruled a fumble, recovered by Texas. So instead of the Longhorns punting, they got the ball back, plus 12 yards. A replay review didn’t overturn it
Drinkwitz made it clear how he felt about the whole ordeal without saying that would likely affect his wallet.
“My job is to respond to the situations,” Drinkwitz told reporters. “They have officials. They have a crew from the SEC that calls in. And they reviewed it. So I don’t know what to tell you. If I say what I want to say, I’m going to get fined until I don’t have any retirement. And I’m not going to do that, because I’m not going to blame the officials. That’d be disrespectful.”
Texas (7-2) scored three plays later to tie the score at 20-20 and Missouri (6-3) would not score again. The win keeps Texas’s College Football Playoff hopes alive, while ending the Tigers.
An SEC spokesperson defended the decision to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
“The ruling on the field was a fumble,” the spokesperson said. “In replay review, it was determined there was not clear and obvious video evidence that he had firm control of the ball when the hand intentionally started forward in order to overturn the call.”
“If I say what I want to say, I’m going to get fined until I don’t have any retirement.”
Safe to say Eli Drinkwitz wasn’t exactly thrilled with the officiating in today’s game against Texas 😬 pic.twitter.com/LbSNZ6wWR0
— SEC Unfiltered (@SECUnfiltered) November 7, 2026
Former NFL ref Terry McAuley stated on X that he saw the play as “clearly and obviously an incomplete pass.” ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer felt for Missouri and its fans on the broadcast.
His feelings were not limited to that one play, but to the officiating in general.
“I’m just going to say this. No skin in the game, [but] if you’re a Missouri fan, if you’re Eli Drinkwitz, you are livid,” Palmer said. “Because it does feel like a lot of these calls are going against Missouri today.”
The questionable calls against Missouri included an unnecessary roughness penalty on Warren Robertson, a rushing touchdown from Austin Simmons overturned, and a catch taken away from Cayden Lee.
