Notre Dame benefitted from a controversial call by the refs on Saturday against Clemson. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have given the Clemson Tigers a worthy battle since kickoff.

The Fighting Irish got on the wrong side of a call on Saturday against Clemson.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish had a 23-13 lead at halftime against the No. 1 ranked Clemson Tigers on what would have been a monumental upset. That disappeared in the second half, as Clemson managed to pull ahead for a 33-26 lead near the tail end of the fourth quarter. Many Tigers fans thought the Fighting Irish got the benefit of the call, but the script flipped when it mattered most.

With Notre Dame looking to tie things up, quarterback Ian Book targeted wide receiver Ben Skowronek for what would have been a first-down, but was interfered with by Tigers cornerback Sheridan Jones. The refs threw a flag for pass interference, but after a consultation, they picked up the flag.

Notes Dame CLEAR pi, refs threw flag.

Dabo screamed.

Refs picked it up ???????? pic.twitter.com/jVtG6k2R04

— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) November 8, 2020

Twitter reacted to the refs picking up the flag for pass interference

Notre Dame would have had prime field position with 2:25 on the clock to tie the game. But, that didn't happen thanks to the change of heart from refs, and Twitter couldn't believe it.

That's a crying shame

— Mark Richt (@MarkRicht) November 8, 2020

What an awful no call. How do you throw that flag and pick it up in South Bend? No home cooking.

— Desmond Howard (@DesmondHoward) November 8, 2020

maybe the refs wanted to be funny

Cheating Refs At Clemson Game Tonight

— Ryan Nanni (@celebrityhottub) November 8, 2020

It's a bummer that such. great game has had so many bad officiating moments. That bizarre waved-off PI could be decisive.

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 8, 2020

Dabo really talked the refs out of that one huh

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) November 8, 2020

Dabo Swinney screaming in the face of officials gets the DPI waved off, a huge call on the potentially decisive defensive stop for the Tigers. That's what two national championships will get you.

— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) November 8, 2020

Cheating Refs At Clemson Game Time

Dabo bullied the refs on that picked up flag. That's a coach making an impact.

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) November 8, 2020

Still confused about the DPI flag being picked up.

— Nicole Auerbach ???? (@NicoleAuerbach) November 8, 2020

Notre Dame got hosed on that Non PI call. Clearly pass interference!

— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) November 8, 2020

This has not been a great game for the refs.

— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) November 8, 2020

Cheating Refs At Clemson Game Score

This has not been a great game for the refs.

— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) November 8, 2020

Dabo must be convincing!

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 8, 2020

I don't know if that was a good or bad idea to pick up the flag, but the fact that it happened in front of the Clemson bench may have played a factor.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) November 8, 2020

Cheating Refs At Clemson Game Last Night

This play was eerily similar to the pass interference flag that was picked up that screwed the New York Giants in last Monday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Regardless, the call wasn't a game-changer, because Notre Dame managed to tie the game up with less than 30 seconds on the clock to tie things up.

Crisis averted for the Fighting Irish.

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