I actually came to a similar conclusion in the Auburn game a couple of weeks ago. Every close call (and some that should have been no-calls) were going AU's way. And we were the home team. Not until Tarrant was ejected for the (supposed) flagrant foul did the coaches and players get fired up and calls started going our way. In fact there were some bad calls that then went our way. My conclusion was that Pearl (and other coaches) that work the officials from the beginning get the close calls from the refs. It was obvious the refs had no respect for Grant, but they did for Pearl.
Not sure I would call it respect. I see it more as fearful or annoyed.