Analyst Sounds Off on Williamson Suspension Following Auburn Game

The former referee and current analyst gave his two cents on the Ken Williamson suspension that followed the Auburn-Georgia game

The former NFL referee didn't hold back his thoughts | Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala.- After the suspension of SEC official Ken Williamson earlier this week, former NFL official and current officiating/rules analyst Terry McAulay has been defending Ken Williamson in light of his suspension, claiming that the move was far too extreme. 

McAulay has been very vocal about the SEC’s decision to “permanently suspend: Williamson on his X account. 

“This is insane. Ken (Williamson) is a very good Referee and has been for a very long time,” McAulay stated on X.

“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.”

This is insane. 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… https://t.co/X733U8v4Ay

— Terry McAulay (@tjmcaulay) October 22, 2025

Although McAulay is taking the side of Williamson in this situation, he is failing to acknowledge that officials should not go unpunished for having horrible games. When players have bad games or coaches, their punishment is likely a loss. However, officials can just go about their lives like nothing ever happened and go unpunished, and the SEC is finally doing something about it. 

McAulay's primary argument is that the move was too extreme by the SEC. But there appears to be more to the story than meets the eye that has yet to be uncovered or disclosed.

At the end of the day, everyone is human. But if you are not performing your job to the highest level, there is a possibility that you could be let go. Officials have full control of the game and can quite literally dictate the entirety of a game, which Williamson did in the Auburn-Georgia game. Nine of 11 the complaints in the Auburn-Georgia game were reportedly validated by the SEC. That is an 82% error rate from the officials that night.

McAulay also sounded off directly to Auburn’s athletic director, John Cohen.

“Unfortunately, the Auburn AD appears to have the power to end a career because he thinks his team was slighted.” He also stated, “Dude is a piece of crap who’s blinded by his bias toward his team. Blocked.”

This is correct. Unfortunately, the Auburn AD appears to have the power to end a career because he thinks his team was slighted. https://t.co/RG0FiCXbl5

— Terry McAulay (@tjmcaulay) October 22, 2025

McAulay’s comments received immediate backlash in the comment sections on his X posts. 

Dude is a piece of crap who’s blinded by his bias toward his team. Blocked. https://t.co/g0FR2ACbE8

— Terry McAulay (@tjmcaulay) October 22, 2025

Maybe the move by the SEC was a bit extreme, but the people who play the game have the same right to have a fair game called just as officials have the right to call a correct game. The players deserve to have a game called right down the middle. The officials are human, and no one is perfect. But having an egregious game, such as the way Ken Williamson did, should require some form of response from the conference and some form of disciplinary action.