SYLACAUGA, Ala. – On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Sylacauga’s Steve Marlowe spoke on KiX Country’s McCurley in the Morning about his career as an official after serving as the head referee for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame on Monday evening, Jan. 20.
Marlowe, a Birmingham native and longtime Sylacauga resident, began his career right out of high school, calling youth softball games at Dixie Youth Softball in Center Point before transitioning to little league baseball and, eventually, high school and college football.
Now an SEC referee, Marlowe’s officiating career includes memorable moments such as serving as the center judge for the 2006 Fiesta Bowl in his first year with the conference, a game that, coincidentally, also featured Notre Dame and Ohio State.
“When I came out of the tunnel pregame, about 90 minutes before kickoff, both of my kids and wife were on the sideline,” Marlowe said when reminiscing about the occasion. “It was special to me that they got to experience the bowl game with me. You cannot officiate any sport at any level unless your family is supportive of what you do.”
Marlowe credits his success to a supportive family, an understanding employer, and a strong officiating crew always by his side.
Beyond the field, Marlowe is the Community Relations Manager for Alabama Power Company and Vice President of the Sylacauga City Board of Education. A University of Alabama alumnus, he was named Sylacauga’s Citizen of the Year in 2021.
Marlowe and his wife, Amy, have been married for 28 years and have two children, Tommy and Grier.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got two teams,” said Marlowe, “and you’ve got to provide the very best [officiating] experience that you can.”
You can listen to the full conversation between Marlowe and David McCurley below: