Off-Topic Forum

Honestly haven't followed college football enough to know they changed the rules this year, but I saw that the Illini upset Penn State in *NINE* overtimes.  I was amazed that in a game with that many OT's, the final score was a paltry 20-18.  Apparently, though, the NCAA changed their OT rules.  

Basically, the first two overtimes have little change, with alternating possessions from the 25 yard line.  The only change here is that you HAVE to go for a two point conversion starting in the second overtime (no more kicks). That was the rule starting in OT3, so it's not a huge change.

Starting in the THIRD overtime, however, there are no more drives.  Basically, each team gets to attempt a two-point conversion. That's it.  

I know they said they want to protect players from getting worn down or injured by really long multiple overtime games, but I really don't like this way of determining the victor.  Basically, it rewards the team that has the best short yardage unit and doesn't really giev a fair test of the entire team.

It was rather bizare!  Yeah, seems more accurate to say that the game lasted two OTs and seven rounds of 2 PT conversion attempts . . .

Yours in The Journey - Felix

That's ridiculous! When did they start doing that? The pandemic last year really stopped me from watching ANY NCAA games, football or basketball, since you never knew what the real schedule was. I wasn't trying to record or tune in to a game to find out that it was not happening anyway because somebody associated with either team tested positive for C-19. In football, they need to just do like the NFL does. ONE OT period and the game is over. I liked that NFL changed from 1st score wins, but I don't like that the NFL changed from that to UNLESS the 1st score is a TD. Each team should get possession of the ball in OT and the first possession shouldn't decide the game. A tied game after OT is still a decision and it should stay that way in football. Going for a TD that is called a 2-pt Conversion is just stupid and I hope NCAA changes that crap real soon.

Is it really any more idiotic than football (soccer) being decided by penalty kicks?

Or rugby being decided by shots at goal? (Very rare but I do recall an under-19 or 21 World Cup being decided this way several years ago).

Or the last cricket world cup being decided on a countback of boundaries each team had hit?

So many sports have really weird rules employed to beak a draw/tie that have little to do with how the game is actually played.

Personally I don't really see what the big drama is with a tie/draw. For most sports I would prefer just to see an overtime with standard rules and if the scores are still equal move on... 

Baseball seems the most logical right now! Just remove the stupid extra inning runner and basketball can join them as the simplest over times.

One of the first games I watched this year was FSU vs Notre Dame. I'm not a college guy by any means, but the game was on at work and it really broke my heart to see McKenzie Milton have to lose that game because they the NCAA doesn't want real football played in overtime. I'm also not a PSU guy, but as someone who lives in an area with a load of PSU fans and almost went there, it sucks too to see them get the short end of the stick. Just play football. It gets bad when you give a short field for a TD, but even worse when you're literally recreating the shootout in football.

So I wasn't the only one watching this game and found it interesting.  Being from Canada I enjoy college football as I watch a lot of it. Never been to game thou. Part of my bucket list to go to one of the big schools games. But yes it was interesting OT and the rules about it.