Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin has accused a Texas Tech player of spitting on one of his players and possibly using a racial slur during a fourth-quarter scrum at Wednesday night’s TaxAct Texas Bowl game.
Kiffin defended Ole Miss wide receiver Jordan Watkins after the game, claiming he incorrectly received a personal foul early in the fourth quarter during the Rebels’ 42-25 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. red raiders.
Jordan Watkins, number 11 of the Mississippi Rebels, celebrates his receiving for a touchdown ahead of Marquis Waters, number 9 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, during the second half at NRG Stadium on December 28, 2022 in Houston.
(Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The veteran coach said Watkins was not in the fight that followed a fumble by Mississippi’s Dayton Wade and that the penalty should have gone to Texas Tech’s Dimitri Moore, No. 11 for the Red Raiders, instead of Watkins, who use No. 11 for Ole miss.
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“They announce our 11, which is Jordan Watkins, who was not in the fight, it was his 11 who was fighting 71 [Ole Miss lineman Jayden Williams] and everybody knew it because their own coaches were yelling at the guy,” Kiffin said.
Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin pleads his case with officials after Ole Miss was flagged for its second goal penalty of the game during the TaxAct Texas Bowl between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and Ole Miss Rebels at the NRG Stadium on December 28, 2022 in Houston.
(Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“There was a racial slur involved, that’s not the point we’re talking about, [it’s] About the spitting part. I brought our own 71 to the officials, right or wrong, do you see him crying? He’s not crying because he was spit on, it’s because something was said.”
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Moore and Williams are both black.
Kiffin would not say whether the alleged insult was directed at any particular player, adding that he did not specifically hear it.
“They told me that this was said in that [incident] but I didn’t hear that. So obviously it would be a big problem.”
Texas Tech football did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire and Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin shake hands at NRG Stadium on December 28, 2022 in Houston.
(Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
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Kiffin said he spoke to Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire after the game about the call.
“I spoke to his head coach afterwards, he said, ‘It’s crazy to referee out there.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, that was really bad the one where your guy spat and our guy got the penalty.’ He was like, ‘Yeah. , I know'”.
Wednesday night marked the seventh meeting between the two teams and his fourth bowling game. The Rebels still have a 4-3 overall record.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
