Officiating is a huge topic in any sport, especially in college football and the NFL. It takes a lot for a person in power to admit the problem, but that’s what Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott did.

“I sit through a review every single week with David Coleman, the head of our officiating, and I can tell you there’s a significant number of mistakes every week,” Scott said according to Arash Markazi of the Los Angeles Times.

In August, the Pac-12 announced new communication protocols for officiating.

The new communications protocol is designed to increase transparency and public comment around significant calls that meet certain criteria. Beginning this football season, the Pac-12 started issuing public statements on calls that, in the Pac-12 Vice President of Officiating’s determination, meet one or more of the following criteria:

Game-ending call or no-call impacting the result of the game;

Call involving a significant error in officiating mechanics;

Call involving an error in rules interpretation; or

Other extraordinary circumstances

Additionally, the Pac-12 released its new Centralized Replay Manual (available here) that sets forth processes and procedures that will be in effect for this season. The new Centralized Replay Manual makes clear that the Supervisor of Replay Officials is the ultimate decision-maker on replay calls, and strictly prohibits any communication with or access to the replay decision-making process from those other than the command center replay officials and in-stadium replay officials, with the exception of critical rules interpretation issues in which the Vice President of Officiating shall be allowed to input.

The Pac-12 came under fire in week three when its officials were on duty for Arizona State’s clash with Michigan State in East Lansing.

The league acknowledged its officials erred on what became the final play of a 10-7 loss for the Spartans. As MSU kicker Matt Coghlin missed a 47-yard attempt that could have sent the game to overtime, an Arizona State player illegally jumped over the Spartans’ line, but the officials, a Pac-12 crew, did not throw a penalty flag.

The missed leaping foul, in this situation, would have moved the ball half the distance to the goal and given MSU one untimed down.

Last night, officials ejected Oregon defensive tackle Austin Faoliu for something that didn’t appear to be a major situation at all.

Faoliu was in a verbal altercation after a play that led to pushing and shoving with a USC offensive lineman in the second quarter. The head referee tried to move Faoliu away from the USC player and had already given on unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Faoliu but then threw the second flag, making it two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and therefore an automatic ejection on the Oregon lineman.

The Pac-12 has a chance to break into the playoff for the first time since 2016 with Oregon and Utah playing at this level. Both could meet in the conference championship game as one-loss teams. Scott would be wise to do whatever he can to fix the issues before that potential matchup.