After several high-profile referee mistakes during the SEC showdown between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers earlier this month, the SEC has reportedly “permanently suspended” referee Ken Williamson. Now, it sounds like one former referee is not at all happy about that decision.

Earlier this week, Yellowhammer News broke the news that Williamson had been permanently suspended by the conference after nine complaints against his crew were validated by conference officials.

“Veteran SEC official Ken Williamson has been permanently suspended from officiating conference games,” Yellowhammer News reported this week, citing unnamed sources. “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.”

Now, one former official and NBC rules analyst is speaking out about the decision.

Former Referee Not Happy

Following news of the permanent suspension for Williamson, NBC rules analyst and former referee Terry McAulay spoke out against the conference’s decision, calling it “insane.”

“This is insane. Ken is a very good Referee and has been for a very long time,” McAulay wrote in a post on X.

McAulay conceded that Williamson and the rest of the crew did not perform well in the game, but he did not think that merited a permanent suspension.

“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,” McAulay wrote. “Or let’s permanently bench a QB for throwing a game ending interception regardless of his past performance.”

McAulay does not think this was deserved if the decision came after just one bad game.

“*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,” he wrote.

Clearly, he is not a fan of the decision.