On a 3rd down play at the 13:31 mark of the first quarter, an Alabama pass play was completed to the Alabama 32-yard line and signaled for a first down.
A YouTube video calls attention to the placement of the football. The following outlines the sequence of events leading up to the first down placement:
1) The receiver is down outstretched with the football inches shy of the 32 yard line and at the line to gain when his knees touch the ground;
2) The head linesman immediately stops the clock and gives Alabama the first down (By Rule, clock stops at the awarding of a first down);
3) The head linesman is seen stopping the clock and initially places the ball shy of where the football was declared dead and shy of the previously awarded first down;
4) The head linesman uses an incorrect mechanic in looking back to the first down marker to move the football back to the original correct spot;
5) Video review of this sequence confirms that the final spot of the ball is correct.
