The Southeastern Conference has handed down one of its most severe disciplinary actions against an official in recent memory. Ken Williamson, a veteran referee with extensive postseason experience across multiple decades, has been permanently suspended from officiating conference games following his crew’s performance during the Georgia-Auburn matchup on Oct 11.
The decision came after an internal review of 11 formal complaints filed against Williamson and his crew from that game, with nine of those complaints validated by league officials, according to sourses.
The game ended with Georgia securing a 20-10 victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Two sequences during the contest sparked heated debate about officiating standards in college football.
The first controversy erupted late in the second quarter when Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold attempted a goal-line quarterback sneak. Arnold appeared to break the plane before losing control of the football, which Georgia defensive back Kyron Jones recovered.
Multiple television angles suggested the ball had crossed the goal line, which would have given Auburn a touchdown and a 17-0 lead heading toward halftime. Instead, officials ruled it a fumble before the plane, maintaining Georgia’s possession and allowing the Bulldogs to drive the length of the field for a field goal before intermission.
REPORT: The SEC has permanently suspended Ken Williamson, who recently officiated the Georgia-Auburn game that contained several controversial calls.
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The second flashpoint occurred in the fourth quarter when Georgia head coach Kirby Smart sprinted down the sideline as the play clock wound toward zero. Smart appeared to signal for a timeout, and officials initially blew the play dead.
However, Smart then argued he was merely clapping to alert officials that Auburn players were attempting to induce a false start, not requesting a timeout. Williamson’s crew accepted the explanation, reset the play clock, and did not charge Georgia with a timeout.
That decision gave the Bulldogs what many observers viewed as a free timeout without any penalty. The sequence left Auburn coaches, administrators, and fans furious, with athletic director John Cohen reportedly confronting officials as both teams left the field at halftime.
Williamson’s Lengthy Career Comes to Abrupt End Amid Broader Officiating Concerns
Williamson is one of the conference’s most experienced officials. He worked the 2021 SEC Championship Game and served as an alternate for the College Football Playoff Fiesta Bowl semifinal.
The Auburn-Georgia game was not an isolated incident for the Tigers this season. Three weeks earlier, Auburn suffered a 24-17 loss to Oklahoma that included its own controversial call. Oklahoma scored a touchdown on a play where a receiver faked leaving the field as part of a substitution before staying in and catching a pass.
The SEC’s officiating account later issued a statement acknowledging the play should have been penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. Commissioner Greg Sankey personally called Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze to express disappointment over the mistake.
Auburn entered the season with hopes of competing in the SEC but has stumbled to a 3-4 record after winning its first three games. While it would be too simplistic to claim the Tigers would have won both the Oklahoma and Georgia games with proper officiating, the margin in both contests was narrow enough that the disputed calls carried weight.
