Texas Longhorns DE Colin Simmons got hit with a wild unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the first half of their huge 20-17 win against No. 14 Tennessee. After dropping Vols QB Faizon Brandon for his second of a career-best five sacks, Simmons actually pretended to urinate on the field. The yellow flags flew immediately, and the referee’s broadcast call confirmed it: “simulating use of the restroom.” That’s just wild.
The Flag That Extended a Drive and Stunned the Broadcast
Simmons’ move on third down was so bizarre, even he looked bewildered as the flags rained down. This isn’t some minor infraction; college football officials are cracking down this season, big time. Kirk Herbstreit didn’t mince words during the broadcast, calling it “an absolute idiotic move.” Chris Fowler piled on, saying “it doesn’t get much more vulgar, either.” And yeah, they’re not wrong. That penalty extended Tennessee’s possession, though the Longhorns still managed to take a 10-3 lead into halftime. Can you imagine the locker room talk after that one? This isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this either; former Ole Miss wideout Elijah Moore did a similar dog-on-hydrant simulation back in 2019. It seems like players just aren’t learning.
Sark’s Stance and the New Normal for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian pulled Simmons out, addressed it, then put him back in. “I’m not going to give the guy the death penalty over an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty,” Sark said after the game. But he also knows it’s an issue: “We’ve got to fix it, though. That can’t continue as we move forward.” He’s right, because the rules committee modernized the interpretation of these fouls, and things like “simulating using the restroom” are now an automatic flag. No more getting away with stuff like that. You can still celebrate with your teammates after a big play, but anything directed at an opponent, or anything vulgar, is getting called.
No. 1 Texas Has To Be Smarter Moving Forward
This Texas squad is no joke. They entered the game as the nation’s top-ranked team after beating Ohio State two weeks ago, and now they’ve got two top-15 wins, which no other team in college football has this season. Sarkisian is confident, too. “We’re used to this environment. We’re used to this arena. We win big games. We do,” he declared. That’s the swagger you want from your coach. But the schedule doesn’t get easier, with seven more ranked teams to play. Simmons is a beast with five sacks in one game, but these boneheaded penalties could cost them big. They need him on the field, focused, and not giving opponents free yards. Let’s see if they clean it up, because the stakes are only going to get higher.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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