GLENDALE, Arizona (WCMH/AP) — The referee in the Fiesta Bowl defended two key calls that went Clemson’s way after video review in the Tigers’ 29-23 victory over No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday night.

A crew of officials from the Southeastern Conference worked the game between Atlantic Coast Conference champion Clemson and Big Ten champion Ohio State.

Referee Ken Williamson spoke to a pool reporter after the game to explain two crucial decisions made by replay review.

Video review led to a targeting call on Ohio State in the second quarter that kept a Clemson drive alive and led to the Tigers’ first touchdown.

In the third quarter, the Buckeyes appeared to score after a Clemson receiver was stripped of the ball and the fumble was returned for a touchdown. Video review overturned the call on the field and ruled the receiver never completed the catch.  

Replay officials initiated a video review that led to a targeting call on OSU defensive back Shaun Wade after he sacked Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence on a third down and five play. Wade hit Lawrence hard enough to keep him down on the turf for a few minutes after the play. No flag was thrown on the field, but replay review spotted the helmet-to-helmet contact.

Not only was Wade ejected, but what would have been a fourth down became a first down for Clemson at the Ohio State 30.

“This was a crown-of-the-helmet targeting foul,” Williamson said. “So it did eliminate a lot of other factors. Initial contact was with the crown of the helmet. Then he wrapped up for the tackle. So at that point, targeting was properly called.”

A few plays later, Travis Etienne fought off a tackle and scored from the eight-yard line for Clemson’s first score of the game, making it 16-7 with 2:45 left in the half.

In the third quarter, with Clemson up by five, 21-16, the Buckeyes seemed to have scored a touchdown after Clemson receiver Justyn Ross was stripped of the ball by OSU’s Jeff Okudah, with Jordan Fuller scooping up the ball and returning it for a touchdown.

Video review overturned the call on the field and ruled Ross never completed the catch.

“We had a lot of good looks on it,” Williamson said. “We put on fast motion and slow motion. The player did not complete the process of the catch, so, therefore, the pass was incomplete.”

Williamson said the play was reviewed in the stadium as well as at the video review center the SEC uses in Birmingham.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day tried not to criticize the officiating in his postgame comments, but opened his statement saying the Buckeyes were going through a number of emotions and anger was one of them.

“I think when we look back on it, it is going to be overwhelming,” Day said.

Buckeye fans, however, weren’t above taking to social media and throwing shade on the officiating in the game.

Former OSU wide receiver and current New Orleans Saint Michael Thomas was one of those fans.

So was Ohio native John Legend, who was particularly critical of the targeting call.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told Yahoo Sports that he was angered by the call. Smith did not return a text message seeking comment that was sent to him by The Associated Press.