The CFL on TSN panel slammed the league’s officiating during halftime of the inaugural game of the season.

With the Saskatchewan Roughriders trailing the Montreal Alouettes 7-0 late in the second quarter, replays appeared to show Riders receiver Bakari Grant fumbling before he crossed the goal line on a touchdown catch. The play was ruled good on the field but all scoring plays are reviewed and video evidence seemed to indicate the ball came out before the ball crossed the line.

“It looks like it was coming out just prior to crossing the plane,” play-by-play man Chris Cuthbert said as the play was being reviewed.

Nonetheless, replay official Jeff Harbin upheld the call on the field and the Riders got their seven points.

At halftime, the TSN panel went to town in disagreeing with the call.

“In my opinion, no,” said Milt Stegall after host Rod Smith asked him if if the touchdown should have counted. “As you can see, that ball is out before he crosses that plane.”

Matt Dunigan went further.

“That is clear. That is exactly why we have slow motion and video review on all scoring plays, to get it right. Still got it wrong. That’s disgusting. That’s a game changer. Montreal should be livid at this point.”

Chimed in Chris Schultz: “It was a fumble.”

Harbin was the video official who the league acknowledged made an error on key roughing-the-passer call against Hamilton in the East Semi-Final last November and a mistake in an October game that cost the Ticats dearly in a loss to Ottawa.