Did Indiana's Jamier Johnson commit targeting? Hoosiers DB ejected in controversial ruling

Indiana football dominated Michigan in the first half of their game on Saturday, jumping out to a 17-3 halftime lead.

But the 10th-ranked Hoosiers lost a key member of their defense just before halftime due to a controversial targeting call.

In the winding minutes of the second quarter, Indiana defensive back Jamier Johnson was ejected from the game for targeting, which was confirmed by officials after review. Johnson's ejection will keep him out for the second half after he lowered the crown of his helmet and contacted Michigan wide receiver Semaj Morgan's helmet on the tackle.

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As a result of the targeting penalty being upheld, Indiana was also hit with a 15-yard penalty that gave Michigan an automatic first down.

Johnson will be eligible to return to start Indiana's pivotal game in two weeks against Ohio State, as the Hoosiers are on bye next week.

What is targeting in college football?

The NCAA Football rule book dictates that targeting generally must meet one of the following criteria:

• Leading with the crown of the helmet

• Making forcible contact to head or neck area of a defenseless player

If a player is called for targeting, it results not only in a 15-yard penalty, but also forces an ejection of the offending player. If the call occurs in the second half of a game, it also means the player must miss the first half of their ensuing game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jamier Johnson ejected: Did Indiana DB commit targeting vs Michigan?