When the proverbial minnows square off against high-profile programs, there’s a considerable gap in a number of ways.

For one, high Division 1 programs generally have access to a more talented level of recruit. Within the same vein, blueblood squads are gifted resources simply not made available to these smaller schools.

And then…there are some head coaches of these smaller schools operating under the notion that referees may favor these bigger programs on the field.

Former ECU head coach Steve Logan appeared recently on a Raleigh radio station to discuss his time coaching. In 1998, his Pirates’ team faced off against Alabama.

Suffice it to say, he was not pleased over the officiating in the game — and even gave a theory as to why smaller programs got the short end of the proverbial stick when playing big-name squads.

Logan told his athletic director at the time that he would never play another SEC program again, and said “the referees know who are supposed to win.”