TODAY’S TALKER

Ex-ref defends Pac-12 officials as they get set for CFP title game

In his travels across the country, Fox Sports officiating analyst Mike Pereira has noticed two things.

Regardless of region, college football officials get lambasted everywhere: “If I’m in SEC territory, the SEC officials are getting blasted in the media. If I’m in ACC territory, the ACC guys are getting blasted. Same way in the Big Ten. Same way in the Big 12. Same way in the Pac-12.”

But no matter where he goes, the officials from one league get derided the most.

“The one noticeable difference to me,” Pereira said, “is the perception the Pac-12 (officials) are the worst.”

Unfair or not, unwarranted or not, this has become the reality for the Pac-12, which will supply the officiating crew for the College Football Playoff title game Monday night between No. 1 Louisiana State and No. 3 Clemson.

Pereira is among those who agree that the league’s overall officiating is on par with the rest of the nation. But one egregious error after another — ranging from onfield oversights to administrative mayhem — has eroded public confidence in the conference’s crews.

“I don’t consider them any better and I don’t consider them any worse,” said Pereira, a former NCAA and NFL referee who offers officiating commentary for Fox’s coverage of NFL and college games. “But the reputation is still out there. That’s hard to overcome.”

“Perception is harder to change than reality,” said Bill LeMonnier, an officiating analyst for ESPN who will be a part of the title game coverage.