It’s targeting.

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s gotten out of hand, but it’s targeting.

LSU fans don’t have to like it — more on that in a second — but this is a judgment call on what happened to linebacker Devin White near the end of Saturday’s game. And in today’s football, it’s targeting.

To me, the intention of the targeting rule should be like the intention of instant replay. If it’s obvious, then all right. If it’s borderline or maybe or kinda, then it shouldn’t be.

Devin White kinda launched. There was an arm in there that made it sorta look like a push. He definitely made contact with the head or neck area of quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. Ding, ding! We have a winner — targeting.

It’s targeting in an LSU game or an OSU game or a KSU game or a FSU game. Typically, LSU fans like to point out it’s not targeting in a Alabama game, but every team in college football has had this happen to them and they all think it’s unfair.

It wasn’t malicious, but it doesn’t have to be. Often, it’s not.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a problem if this were Betty White instead of Devin White or the next game was against Alabama State instead of Alabama. Because of the targeting rule that has been in place — and one that everyone has known about for quite a while — White will have to sit out the first half of the next game.

Not to say that this would happen, but you can see that without this sanction, players could just start dropping haymakers in the final minute of a game without any fear of retribution. A 15-yard penalty and an ejection in a 45-10 blowout? Big deal!

Gov. John Bel Edwards and James Carville have chimed in. Yeah, that oughta get something done. Alabama conspiracy theorists are out in droves. That’s laughable.

It’s unfortunate for LSU. It’s unfortunate for White. But in today’s football it’s targeting, plain and simple. Whether it should be is a different story.

But it is.