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College football fans are widely known to take to social media to vent about questionable calls going against their favorite teams. More News: Jimbo Fisher Looking for Coaching Job Amid Likely Florida State Opening Officiating in real time is a difficult job, but the decisions they make on the field can make huge impacts on and off the field. Per Yellowhammer News, on Wednesday, the SEC decided to permanently suspend Ken Williamson from officiating games in the conference following the outcome of his performance during the Auburn-Georgia game on Oct. 11. Via Yellowhammer News: "Veteran SEC official Ken Williamson has been permanently suspended from officiating conference games, sources tell Yellowhammer News. The decision to remove the longtime referee comes in the immediate wake of an SEC review of eleven complaints against Williamson and his crew during the Auburn-Georgia game earlier this month. According to sources, nine of those complaints were validated by conference officials." More News: LSU’s Brian Kelly Issues Serious Warning to Team Amid Calls for His Firing The SEC did not respond for comment from Yellowhammer News. The game between Auburn and Georgia had several questionable calls. The biggest decision came in the second quarter when Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold was ruled to have fumbled at the Georgia 1-yard line. UGA cornerback Kyron Jones recovered the ball. ABC broadcast replay appeared to show the Auburn quarterback just barely putting the football over the goal line before he lost control, which would have given the Tigers a touchdown and a 17-0 advantage. Instead, the Bulldogs marched down for a 12-play 88-yard drive and kicked a field goal to make 10-3 at halftime. Georgia won the game 20-10. Terry McAulay, a former NFL official and rules analyst for NBC Sports, was troubled by the decision to suspend Williamson. "This is insane," McAulay posted on X. "Ken is a very good Referee and has been for a very long time. I’ve commented on the Ga/Auburn game and no, the crew did not have a very good game. It happens to officials, just as it happens to coaches and players. "I look forward to the day an AD suspends his coach for, in a single game, poor clock management, allowing players to feign injury, bad play calls, etc. Or let’s permanently bench a QB for throwing a game-ending interception regardless of his past performance. "*If* this is solely based on that one game, then shame on everyone involved. It’s yet another reason why Conferences should not oversee officiating and will forever be a dark stain on college football." Williamson's job wasn't the only one on the line during the game. In the wake of the loss, Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has teetered ever closer to being fired, as the Tigers enter Week 9 on a four-game losing streak.
