Proof That College Football Refs Are Riddled With Bias

Jan 9, 2015, 6:01 PM

Article from Bloomberg/Businessweek:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2015-01-09/proof-that-college-football-refs-are-riddled-with-bias#r=rss

Some extracts for ACC:
Based on a complex analysis of penalty yards assessed over the course of eight seasons, the study by professors at Miami University of Ohio and Florida State University suggests, for instance, that ACC and Big 12 refs tend to penalize home teams less during games between conference rivals.

Unfortunately for college football’s legions of conspiracy theorists, the refereeing study does not support the notion that officials secretly help their conference’s strongest teams so the conference can reap the prestige and jackpots offered by bowl games and national titles.

ACC refs, on the other hand, were flagged for favoring home teams, betting-line underdogs, and long-time conference members such as Duke and North Carolina.

Evidence of bias comes from significant differences in the yards assessed during in-conference games vs. nonconference, measured against such variables as home field, betting-line favorites, and total plays. For instance, the study says, “ACC and Big 12 teams can expect 6.28 and 4.36 fewer penalty yards per game when playing in-conference games at home, but no such advantage when playing out-of-conference games at home.”

Perhaps the study’s oddest finding is that ACC refs may have hurt the conference’s strongest squads despite incentives to do the opposite. That might be due to the conference’s historical identification with basketball and the influence of its four founding North Carolina-based members: “Internal ACC power may be threatened by non-founding schools with strong football that drive much of its revenue," the paper notes. Nonfounders include Florida State, which won the NCAA football title last year.

flag link

military_tech

thumb_down

thumb_up

that so many ACC basketball and football officials lived and worked in the state. It was a phenomenal percentage that would never have existed naturally. This was during a time when these officials worked among, did business with, and, undoubtedly, were friends with most of the AD's and coaches and media folks along terbacky rood. The situation was accepted as normal and outside a few (Coach Howard comes to mind) who knew enough to be wary of stepping on the toes of any in that self-perpetuating group. not many questioned the status quo. The backlash would've been subtle, but undeniable.

Sure, I'm a conspiracy theorist. Black helicopters and everything. But I saw the inner machinations up close and personal. I once spoke to a Maryland track coach who advised me she and others were in Gary Williams office when Rick Barnes called him the day after the infamous game in chapelhole when so many fouls were called, the Tigers didn't have 5 players to finish the game. According to her, Barnes said to Williams: "They're never going to let me win here, are they?"...........Williams reportedly told him no................not long afterwards, Barnes was gone.

The unc cheaters will deny there's ever been any sort of favoritism/bias going on in the ACC, but myself and a cadre of other long time observers will tell you otherwise.

Proof That College Football Refs Are Riddled With Bias

So it confirms what we already know....Tobacco Road rules.

Re: Basketball

Re: So it confirms what we already know....Tobacco Road rules.

Upon moving to NC, I was a little shocked to find out

I was in Maggie Valley, NC a couple of years ago, wearing a

i met a former fb ref while working at......

One problem with the home bias

Re:I knew a ref who did all the Meteo games before SCAR

Re: One problem with the home bias

Re: Proof That College Football Refs Are Riddled With Bias

TigerBoard POTD