It was almost certainly unintentional, but Tennessee’s Elijah Herring somehow got away without being flagged after punching Alabama’s Roydell Williams in the head on Saturday.

The play in question occurred after Williams ran the ball for one yard to the Tennessee 29, and was tackled by Wesley Walker and Tamarion McDonald. Herring came in late and appeared to be trying to force a fumble, but Williams rolled over just as Herring delivered a forearm/fist shot to the back of his helmet.

Here’s video:

Herring was not flagged, which would have given Alabama a first down at the Tennessee 14. Instead, the Crimson Tide had to settle for a field goal to cut Tennessee’s lead to 20-17.

CBS analyst Gary Danielson expressed disbelief that Herring was not penalized. Former SEC official Dean Waite told AL.com that Herring certainly should have been flagged.

“It was a clear personal foul with a blow to the head,” said Waite, who worked in the SEC from 2008-10. “They just missed it.

“I don’t know that he was trying to punch the ball out. There’s no way for the official to interpret that. What he did do was throw a forearm into the head of the Alabama player. That’s a personal foul.”