The Georgia Bulldogs will take on the Alabama Crimson Tide for the second time this season, but this time for the SEC Championship title. In the first clash, which took place back in September, Alabama defeated Georgia 24-21. However, the overall trajectory has shifted, as the Crimson Tide comes into the crucial game as a 10-2 team, while Georgia has an 11-1 record.

This is the fifth time that both programs have met in an SEC championship game, and Alabama holds the upper hand with 4-0 against Georgia. It’s an important game for No. 9 Alabama, as a loss could potentially push it out of the top 12 of the CFP. Ahead of the big afternoon game, the SEC announced the official crew for the championship game, led by Daniel Gautreaux, and here’s everything you need to know about him.

Who is the Georgia vs. Alabama Referee, Daniel Gautreaux?

Daniel Gautreaux has been announced as the game official for the SEC Championship game between Georgia and Alabama. He will lead the 11-member referee crew at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Last year, he led the referee crew for the SEC Championship game, played between Georgia and Texas, and earned considerable respect among fans. However, some criticized the crew for missed calls and for favoring Georgia, although he has no connection to the Bulldogs.

Daniel Gautreaux Early Life & Family

Officiating football is not something new for Daniel Gautreaux, being the son of retired NFL official Greg Gautreaux. He grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, watching his father referee NFL games for 20 years. He followed his father’s footsteps into the officiating bug early, after graduating from the University of Louisiana.

“I think it’s because of two things,” said Daniel Gautreaux on his father’s dedication and longevity as an NFL referee. “One, I think his time commitment to being good: his preparation, his rules study, his video study, the amount of time he put in to being good. The second thing is how he treats others. Whether it’s his crewmates, he treats them with respect. How he treats players and coaches, he’s the most professional official I’ve ever been around. His interactions are positive.”

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Daniel also credits his mother, Betsy Gautreaux, for teaching him and his father the communication skills to deal with frustrated coaches. “Her ability to communicate to special needs children has been a positive influence on my dad and me.”

Daniel Gaurtreaux has been officiating football games for the past 15 years, including high school and college-level games. He carries his father’s legacy, earning a special name for himself due to his fairness and a sharp eye for detail. This made him a highly reliable referee, earning him a job as the official at the SEC, and allowed him to officiate the most important championship game between Georgia and Alabama.

Daniel Gautreaux’s Career: From High School to the SEC

It’s been at least 15 years since Daniel Gautreaux started his career as a football referee. He started officiating football games at the high school level, understanding the shortage of referees.

“Probably for the past five or so years, we have had a shortage in the number of officials we have had, causing us to move games from Friday night to Thursday night,” said Daniel Gautreaux with the Lafayette High School Officials Association.

After a steady and impressive initial few days as a high school referee, he became an official for Conference USA and spent over a decade in that role. This led him to step up to the big leagues of college football, joining the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and he has officiated some significant games, including last year’s SEC Championship Game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Texas Longhorns. He also officiated the Alabama vs Vanderbilt game and the Alabama vs Oklahoma game earlier this season.