AUBURN, Ala. -- The SEC released a statement following Auburn's 41-34 win against Mississippi State to discuss a controversial first down call on an Auburn 4th-and-1 late in the third quarter Saturday.

With 1:31 remaining in the third and Auburn sitting at Mississippi State's 31, running back Michael Dyer lunged through the middle of the field forward for the first down, but was quickly met by Mississippi State defenders. At first, it looked as if Dyer made the needed yardage, but on TV it looked as if he came up just short.

When the referees measured where the ball was, they determined that Dyer made the first down.

Here's what Steve Shaw, SEC Coordinator of Football Officials said about the ruling:

"When the officiating crew put the first down stake in its final position, the nose of the football was touching the stake making it a first down."

Five plays later, Auburn quarterback Barrett Trotter hit tight end/H-back Philip Lutzenkirchen for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Tigers ahead 41-27 early in the fourth quarter.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen didn't have much to say about the ruling and said that he trusted the officials on their call.

Here's what Mullen said about the play:

"Our players came off and said it was short, but I don't know how they look at that. Obviously, we're going to think they didn't make it and their going to think they did make it. I don't think that is an issue. There is a game of inches I guess. There's a great example right there. They found a way to get that one-eighth of a final inch and they stopped us one-eighth of a final inch. They got it on that one call. We came up just short. I looked at the replay and it looked like they made the right call."

The bottom line is that the measurement didn't cost Mississippi State the game. The Tigers' physicality and the Bulldogs' inability to stop the run in crucial situations did.